


All I Want For Christmas Is You

by DreamDrop



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Advent Calender fic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Auguste (Captive Prince) Lives, Flirting, Fluff, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Mutual Pining, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, i guess?, one chapter each day, seriously, this is the typical soft advent story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:47:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 23,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27805564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamDrop/pseuds/DreamDrop
Summary: This is just a sweet advent story in the form of an advent calendar. Every day there will be a new chapter until the 25th.
Relationships: Auguste/Kashel (Captive Prince), Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince)
Comments: 247
Kudos: 133





	1. Wreath

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my dear readers <3  
> So glad you found your way here. I hope you'll enjoy this absolutely tooth-rotting fluff story I did here.  
> Let me know what you think!

There were some things Laurent could remember always being the way they were. One of these things was that his family would have a wonderful advent wreath, with four big candles on it, each one to be lit up on one of the four advent Sundays. 

This year shouldn‘t be different just because their parents wouldn‘t be home for the holidays and Auguste and he were working right up until the last day before Christmas. Thus, he found himself outside of a florist shop, stressed and grumpy, together with his brother, who was smiling brightly and chattering nonsensical beside him.

He had insisted on visiting this shop as it belonged to the mother of a good friend, at least that‘s what Laurent remembered. He couldn‘t be bothered to remember all of Auguste‘s friends, as there were a lot of those. 

“Red looks beautiful, doesn’t it, but gold is much more our color. What do you think, Laurent?“

Laurent knew he had exactly two options of reacting to his brother‘s question.

**Option one** , he reacted the way he actually wanted, rolled his eyes and told Auguste to just pick one already before he froze to the spot he was standing on. This one would lead to discussions about Laurent being in the worst mood ever and not appreciating tradition enough and Auguste looking like a kicked puppy.

**Option two** , he would have to consider the wreaths before him, form an opinion and argue his point over something that didn‘t matter to him at all. He just wanted a wreath because Auguste wanted one, because he knew his brother would be happy if they lit the first candle on their Sunday brunch. 

He was still weighing option one and option two of further proceedings when a deep voice spoke up behind them. “Sorry to interrupt, but I think you should consider how you want to decorate your tree. I remember the one from last year, Auguste.“

Laurent almost got whiplash with how fast Auguste spun on his heel and tackled the man who had spoken in a big hug.

“Damen! I hoped to see you today.“

“It‘s my mother‘s shop and you know I try to help whenever I can especially during this season.“ The man grinned, and Laurent’s breath caught in his lungs. He hadn’t seen Damen since Auguste’s 30st birthday party five years ago. How time flew by. 

He reminded himself sternly of the fact that his gay panic was over for good and he was a confident and determinedly **not** panicky, very gay, 23 year old. 

But one look at Damianos Vallis’ shoulders, _had they gotten even broader?!_ , and his dimple, _had it always been_ ** _that_** _adorable?_ , managed to revert him back to his fumbling, blushing, flustered teenage self before he had packed his things to go finish his education in France.

Apparently, he was not the only one taken by surprise. Damen did a visible double take when he looked away from his brother just to see him. His mouth opened but no sound came out. Laurent, who had the advantage of getting over his initial shock in private, tilted his head slightly in question. After everything he remembered, Damen was never shy for something to say.

Auguste’s gaze jumped to and fro between them and a slight frown took over his face. “You remember my brother? Laurent just came back from France to stay for good.“ He still sounded overjoyed when he said it, but his gaze was wary when he fixed it on his best friend, who still looked as if he had just seen a horse take flight. He looked adorable like that and Laurent didn‘t like it at all that he took note of it. 

As the other man was, apparently, still unable to form a coherent sentence, Laurent took up the initiative. “Hello Damianos.“ He smiled wryly with one raised eyebrow and offered his hand. This seemed to startle Damen out of his shock although it wasn‘t enough to make him remember his surroundings. He took Laurent‘s hand, but instead of shaking it, like every normal person would do, he brought it to his mouth, lowered his head and placed the softest kiss on his knuckles. “Hello Laurent.“ 

That was not something Laurent had expected to happen. The breath left him with a low ‘Whooshing’ sound and he was so stunned he didn’t even think to draw his hand away. Damen stared in his eyes, his fingers wrapped around Laurent’s were warm and strong, while the look in his dark eyes seemed to ignite something in Laurent that he had sworn to let buried and unable to ever see the light of day. 

He needed a distraction. Especially, when he saw his brother’s dark look. He slowly extracted his fingers and threw a glance at the wreaths, lined up on different tables before them.

“Take the red one.“

Auguste’s frown deepened. “Are you sure? You don‘t prefer red usually.“

“Quite. It will look nice to the table napkins I brought back from France.“ Laurent tried to sound unaffected as he watched his brother pick up the wreath with the red candles and red ornaments, sparsely alternated with golden ones. 

His older brother threw him A Look. “I will go and find your mother, Damen. Will you be here when I get back?“ 

“I expect to be.“ Finally, _finally_ Damen looked away from Laurent’s face. He tried to convince himself that this was exactly what he wanted. 

As soon as Auguste went inside the shop, he turned towards Damen again, avoiding his eyes and staring at his red scarf instead. The color was startling in its intensity but it didn’t wash Damen out in the least. If it did something, it managed to underline his unbelievable presence even more. 

Laurent slowly allowed his gaze to be dragged to that handsome face again. That was indeed a completely unexpected turn of events.


	2. Candles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, guys, I'm blown away by the positive responses I got from you for the first day 😍 Thank you all so much, you made my day and I hope I can make yours a bit sweeter too with the second day of the calendar :) Have fun and let me know what you think! <3

Auguste lit up the first candle of their advent wreath right before they started with their brunch. It was cozy, sitting here with his brother, Kashel and their two year old, Colette, who adored Laurent and was adored by him in return. 

In the end, it was Kashel, who broke their peaceful silence, not her daughter. “So, Auguste tells me Damen is very taken by you?“ Her eyes reflected the light of the red candle and Laurent wanted to look away but found he couldn’t. 

He sighed. “Apparently.”

She grinned and Auguste groaned. “Please, don’t.”

Now, Kashel got a teasing glint in her eye, she threw Auguste a devious grin and that was enough warning for Laurent to steel himself.

“Weren’t you quite taken with him before going to France? I remember how you blushed every time he looked at you.” 

“That you even remember something from that time. You two were all over each other, I doubted you even realized other people were present.” He kept his voice cool, level headed while he threw his brother and Kashel a meaningful look. It wouldn’t do to show weakness now. Kashel was like a shark. If there was blood in the water she would be unrelenting.

“Don’t try to change the topic, Laurent. Are you still infatuated with Damen?”

“I don’t know him. That was five years ago, and even then we didn’t spend all that much time together. I changed and I'm sure he did too.” It was no answer to her question and they all knew it.

Kashel hummed and took a sip of her coffee. Laurent mirrored her and just as he was about to swallow, she continued, “For all that it’s worth, even if you don’t start dating, you two should fuck.”

Laurent almost choked on his tea while Auguste turned to his wife with a horrified expression, while covering Colette’s ears, “Kashel! Don’t give him ideas.”

If Laurent weren’t so occupied with getting air back into his lungs, he would have laughed at his brother’s face. Kashel only shrugged. “I just want your brother to have a fulfilling sex life. That’s nothing to be ashamed of. And Damianos is _very_ fulfilling, if you grasp my meaning, Laurent.” She waggled her eyebrows and he laughed. 

“I completely forgot that you two had that- arrangement. However, before Auguste combusts at our brunch table, I don’t intend to just jump into bed with Damianos.” He spoke the last part primary to Auguste, but threw Kashel a warning gaze. She zipped her lips shut with a grin. 

His older brother took a deep breath and nodded, relief written all over his face. “Good. I don’t want to imagine you having such an- arrangement with Damianos. It’s bad enough that my wife had one with him. Really, I shouldn’t have such charming, handsome friends. They are a pain in the ass.” 

Laurent was glad the topic was apparently exhausted for the moment. He wasn’t going to start a casual affair with Damen. And not because Auguste would be horrified, but because he already knew that he wanted more. He took a bite of his croissant while staring into the flame of the candle.

It had the same color as Damen’s scarf. It was beautiful. 

His thoughts were drawn to the man simply due to Kashel bringing him up. And because he hadn’t spent a lot of time lately _not_ thinking about him. He didn’t even _try_ to stop thinking about him anymore. It was a useless endeavor anyway.

Damianos had his number, had asked him right after Auguste left them waiting before the florist shop and Laurent had seen no reason to not tell him. Now, one and a half weeks later, he had a pretty regular stream of messages in place with Damen. 

They texted every day and Laurent got to know little bits and pieces about Damen’s life, although they hadn’t met in person yet, apart from the one time before the florist. He knew that Damen was an absolute Christmas fan. He was one of those people who started baking and listening to Christmas songs and actually enjoying the most hectic time of the year.

Just yesterday had he sent a picture of himself, covered in flour, and the cookies fresh out of the oven. Both had looked delicious.

Laurent suppressed a smirk at the thought. He needed to focus on his family now, because he had missed them very much in his time in France. The family brunch was important to him and not even men as attractive as Damianos would keep him from concentrating on three of the most important people in his life. 

Damen knew about the family brunch, had asked him when he would be free, and if he wanted to meet up later on. Laurent had said yes. He didn’t think he could say no to Damen. 

The flame flickered and Laurent looked away to turn his whole focus on Colette. She smiled up at him when he started to slather marmalade on her bread.

“Here you go, sweet pea. Do you want something else?”

She bit into her bread, or better she started to try and get as much marmelade and as little bread into her mouth as possible, and shook her head. Her eyes fixed on the wax dripping down onto the wreath. Completely fascinated by the flame of the candle. Laurent couldn’t keep from brushing his hand over her head and smiling softly. He was very glad to be back. And if maybe this posed the opportunity to finally act on his teenage crush, then even better. 


	3. Hot Chocolate

The excitement built in Damen. Laurent, who was the most exciting human being he had met in a long time, had agreed to get coffee with him after his family brunch on Sunday. He couldn‘t forget how Laurent had looked before his mother‘s flower shop. He had been so beautiful, Damen had almost forgotten how to breath. 

He was sure it had to be the dim light of the street-lamps that made Laurent look so breathtaking. Because even if Laurent‘s appearance had been beautiful at 17, or had he been 18?, he had been rounder somewhat? 

Now his cheekbones and jawline had painted shadows over his pale skin while his full lips and big eyes had softened the effect enough to still give him a bit of an androgynous look.

“Damen?“ He turned around with a bright grin on his lips when he heard Laurent call out to him, only for it to falter by what he saw. Because if he had thought Laurent to be breathtaking in the evening, he was to die for right here, right now. 

He wore blue, and his hair up in a bun. Damen‘s hand itched to mess the neat appearance up, make those pale cheeks flush bright red and devour the pink lips until they were swollen and tender. 

“Laurent.“ The single word wasn‘t much more than a breathless whisper. He felt pinned to the place by the intense, blue gaze.

“Where are we going? You said something of the best coffee in town?“

Slowly, Damen nodded. Laurent‘s face betrayed nothing of his emotions, but he got the impression that the blond man was somehow amused. Maybe because of his eyes, twinkling and gorgeous. He was still staring. It was inappropriate. His mother would be disappointed.

That, more than anything, startled him out of his silent appreciation of the beauty before him. “Sorry. Yes. If you‘d follow me?“ He grinned and gestured towards the café he had decided on. Laurent fell in step beside him.

It wasn‘t far and Damen opened the door for a young woman, who smiled at him, and then let Laurent pass inside before he stepped through the door, only to open it again for an older lady leaving the café, who also smiled at him. Laurent observed the scene with the faintest smirk on his lips before he turned around and headed for a table in a corner.

Damen followed, decidedly **not** staring at his ass, and sat down across from him. 

“Now, Damianos, what can you recommend?“ Laurent looked up to him through long lashes and for a moment Damen just needed to focus on breathing. By the time he recovered, Laurent leaned back with a smirk on his lips and said, “I‘ll take the same as you.“

Damen, who normally wasn‘t shy for an answer, finally got his brain working again and grinned. “Are you sure? I think someone once told me that my tastes are rather uncultured.“

Laurent stared at him for a moment and then he laughed, low and only for a short moment, but it warmed Damen‘s heart. “You still remember that? Goodness, I was a brat back then.“ 

Damen couldn‘t resist from leaning forward and replying, “I didn‘t forget a thing, Laurent. Not about you.“ 

In all honesty, he enjoyed the blush on Laurent‘s cheeks more than what was probably advisable. Especially if he thought about the look Auguste threw his way before his mother‘s shop.

The server halted beside their table and Damen ordered with a bright grin in Laurent‘s direction, “The hot-chocolate with extra caramel, extra whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles and the chocolate brownie and one chocolate croissant.“ Much as he expected, Laurent‘s face turned a shade paler, but otherwise he didn‘t react at all. 

The server turned to him and Laurent just said, “The same, please.“ When they were alone again Damen still stared at him with his mouth agape. 

“I told you I‘d take the same, I really hope you ordered what you like best and not just what sounded the most like something a five year old would ask for.“ Laurent sounded mocking, but something about his tone was almost... fond?

“I promise you this will be the best hot chocolate of your life.“ 

When their orders came, Damen watched Laurent‘s every move. The man raised one eyebrow at the enormous cup placed before him. Then he lifted the provided spoon to his mouth and licked the whipped cream away. Damen had never been that hard that fast before.

He could only watch in entranced arousal how Laurent lifted the hot chocolate to his mouth and took a sip. When his eyelids fluttered and a soft, “ _Oh_ ,“ escaped those full lips, Damen was seriously worried he might come on the spot.

“Fuck, that‘s good.“ Laurent placed the cup down carefully and lifted his eyes back up to Damen, who was still rather worried about loosing every sense of control. “I think if the brownie and croissant can manage to be better than mediocre then we should do that again.“

“Yes, we should.“ Damen sounded faint even to his own ears and took as an avoidance strategy a large sip of his hot chocolate. He didn‘t even care that he scalded his tongue. 


	4. Mistletoe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear readers!   
> I hope you all have a good advent time and enjoy the calendar so far. <3  
> Stay healthy. All my love to you ❤️

Damen couldn’t change the fact that he loved the holiday season and everything that led up to it. He also knew that some people didn’t share his delight and one of these people was Nikandros. Thus, he made it his life long mission to get his quasi-brother to love this time of the year with the devotion it deserved. 

Unfortunately, Nik was a stubborn ass and most of Damen’s attempts had proven unfruitful. However, today, this would change. It was the first Friday evening in December and thus it was also the evening of the first annually Light-Overjoyed-Vino-Eggnog-party. Yeah, the name still needed working on, but it did the trick. Because there was alcohol involved. Damen wasn’t naïve enough to think that Nik put up with it for any other reason.

This year, however, Damen was nervous. Really, very nervous. The reason for that was simple, Laurent would be there and whenever Laurent was involved, Damen couldn’t help himself but get beyond nervous.

He finished decorating their house in a completely frazzled state of mind, pinning the mistletoe over the doorframe between the kitchen and living room and was very glad that he had done the bigger part of the work the day before. 

When Nik came back, he found him pacing in the kitchen and rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Damen, stop it. One could think you’re waiting for your crush to arrive.” 

That was another important point, Nikandros didn’t know that Damen had the smallest (who was he kidding? Nothing about his crush was small) crush on Laurent. Nik hadn’t seen Auguste’s brother since he came back from France and Damen knew he would only need one glance at the man before he’d know exactly what was going on. 

Fortunately, he was rescued by the doorbell. He greeted all their friends with a broad smile and for a while, he didn’t even move away from the door because every minute another guest arrived. He ushered them inside where Nik offered drinks and snacks. 

Auguste, Kashel and Laurent arrived fashionably late. Auguste and Kashel hugged him both with broad smiled and then practically fell into the apartment to give Nikandros the same treatment. Laurent stared after them with a shake of his head and then proceeded to present Damen with a bottle of wine. “I thought I’d bring you something. In thanks for your invitation and I’m sure alcohol is always appreciated.”

“Thank you very much, Laurent. I’m just glad you found the time to attend too.” Damen knew he was staring, but Laurent was lovely. He was so handsome, it still seemed almost unreal. “Please come in.”

Laurent smirked and stepped over the threshold. “The decoration is rather-“ 

Damen laughed. “Please, spare me. You don’t want to shatter my heart in the first five minutes of arriving, do you?”

Laurent chuckled. “No, you’re right. So, where do you want me?”

Oh, Damen wanted him, location absolutely unimportant. He couldn’t keep his gaze from dropping to Laurent’s chest and then lower to his long, long legs. “I-“ 

“DAMEN! Don’t just spend all your time by the door,” Lazar yelled from the kitchen. Damen sighed. At least, he had enough time to recover to actually answer Laurent’s question. “Well, I’ll have to entertain the more obnoxious guests, it seems. I’d recommend you visit the kitchen first, there is the important part of the party.”

“What? All the friends with charming personalities?” Laurent teased and followed him through the corridor. Damen laughed, “No, the drinks.”

“Ah. But do you think there will be something that fits my standards? I found, to my utter disappointment, that that’s fairly rarely the case.” They entered the kitchen and immediately all conversation halted. Most likely because the only people in the kitchen were Lazar and Nikandros and both of them were rather busy with gaping at Laurent.

“Who are _you_? Please tell me you’re single.” Lazar practically salivated all over the floor with hearts in his eyes. Laurent raised one eyebrow and drawled, “You’re even more dull-witted than I remember you, Lazar.” 

Damen felt a flutter in his stomach. 

Lazar seemed to feel quite the same way. “Even when he’s insulting me, he’s the most beautiful sight I ever behold in my life.”

“Stop flirting with my brother, you creep!” Auguste appeared out of nowhere and glared at Lazar, who actually flinched. “What?!” Damen could see all the color drown from Nikandros’ face. “Wait, you’re Laurent?”

“That’s correct.” Laurent sniffed at the drink Damen pressed in his hand. “Oh, whiskey, and the expensive one, you spoil me, Damianos.” His eyes twinkled and Damen fought the urge to melt to a puddle at his feet. 

Auguste obviously saw the same thing as Nik did, because both of them shared a horrified look. Nikandros declared, “I can’t watch this!” and then Auguste started to push his brother out towards the living room at the same time as Nik tried to get out of the kitchen too. That was a mistake because while Lazar stared at Laurent’s ass first and foremost, he was still Lazar.

“Oh, now you’ve done it. Nik, Laurent, stop!”

Nikandros turned towards him with a pained expression on his face. “What?”

“Look up.” Lazar grinned very brightly and both of their gazes snapped up at the same time. It was almost comical how absolutely horrified Nik looked, while Laurent shrugged and turned towards the other man. “Well, let’s get it over with.”

“Nope. No, not in a thousand years.” Nikandros backed away against the door frame and that made Laurent smirk deviously. “Come on, big guy, you don’t have to be afraid of me.”

If Damen didn’t have to fight down the roaring jealousy, he would have laughed, especially when he saw Nik’s horror being mirrored on Auguste’s face. Now however, he could only look on when Laurent yanked Nik down by the collar of his shirt and kissed him.


	5. Mulled Wine

Laurent chucked back the next cup of mulled wine and knew, now was the time for him to stop. He had enough to think the ‘mistletoe-incident’ was mostly funny but not enough to wobble when he stood. 

Yes, he had been the one to kiss Nikandros and it didn’t mean anything and if it were any other situation he wouldn’t have wasted another thought on the matter. However, it wasn’t any other situation and Damen had stood RIGHT THERE. He wanted to go home. Especially, because Damen looked as if he had pushed a knife between his ribs and twisted.

Auguste seemed relieved and was laughing with Jord and Pallas. Nikandros, who, for some unknown reason, sat beside Laurent, sighed long and hard. 

“If you want to say something spit it out already. I don’t have the patience to deal with your passive aggressive sighing beside me.” Laurent turned towards the other man. Nik glared at him. “Why does it always have to be a blond, cold-hearted asshole?” He ground out between clenched teeth. 

“What?” Laurent knew his voice sounded flat and his face was impassive, but his heart was speeding up without any means for him to control it.

“I’m talking about Damen’s crush on you.” Nikandros still glared and Laurent returned his stare without saying something. He knew he would have sounded much too eager if he opened his mouth right now. Fortunately, Nikandros was one of these people who found themselves provoked by Laurent’s cool stare.

“I mean, did you seriously have to do that? You can’t be so oblivious that you didn’t know, because Damen is everything but subtle, thus I conclude that you just don’t care about Damen’s feelings. A cold-hearted snake, that’s what you are and Damen, the absolute idiot, runs headlong towards his own doom with you.” 

Nikandros was seething and Laurent crooked his head in a motion he knew would infuriate the other man even more. “Don’t give me that look. We both know you’re stringing him along. Why did you think it would be a good idea to kiss me, of all people, right before his eyes.”

Laurent stood.

“Where are you going? I’m not finished!” Nikandros stood too and grabbed his wrist. Laurent felt himself stiffen up. He turned around slowly and stared down at the point of contact, until Nikandros let him go. 

“I don’t care if you’re finished or not. I certainly am and I need more of this delicious mulled wine. For all I care, you can jump from the balcony.” 

Nikandros’ face was almost worth the disaster this evening proved to be. But only almost and Laurent was just tired. He had hoped to spend some time with Damen, talking, listening to his jokes and heartfelt stories, getting to know more about him. He had hoped to see the dimple when Damen smiled at him, the way his eyes light up whenever he saw Laurent. 

Now, this was more of a distant dream and he really wanted to go to bed and curl up under his duvet and just hope that this was nothing but a bad dream.

He poured himself more mulled wine and leaned against the kitchen island. Staring at the ceiling, he was already aware of the burning gaze resting on him. He consciously relaxed his shoulders and took a sip of his drink. Providing the perfect opportunity for Lazar to slide up beside him. “Well, that was quite the coup you’ve done there.”

Laurent lifted one shoulder. He was still waiting for Lazar’s real question. 

“Fine, be difficult. I always liked that about you.” The other man didn’t disappoint and smirked. “But, honestly, are you serious about Damen or are you just playing a game?”

Laurent snorted into his mulled wine. “I don’t see how that is any of your concern.”

Lazar shrugged and took a deep breath. “Well, in all honesty, I am rather fond of Damen. It’s a very unfortunate development, but the guy somehow sneaked his way into the black heart of mine. I don’t want to see him hurt again. And I think you’re even more dangerous for him than Jokaste ever was. Although I think Nikandros wouldn’t agree.”

Jokaste. That was a name Laurent hadn’t expected to hear. Because she was not to be named. He had only heard about the very messy break-up between Damen and her from Auguste and even then only in passing, but it was enough to know how much it had impacted Damen. 

Apparently, his face stayed blank, because Lazar continued, “Did you hear about Jokaste and what happened there?”

“Barely. It doesn’t matter to me. I can assure you, I don’t plan on breaking Damianos’ heart.”

Lazar leaned back, a smirk firm in place and Laurent raised a challenging eyebrow. 

“Well, we both know that this doesn’t have to mean anything. Do you plan on not breaking Damianos’ heart because you’re not interested anyway and thus don’t plan on getting his hopes up or do you mean that you’re interested and plan on treating him right or is it something different entirely?”

Laurent found a smirk tugging at the edges of his mouth. Lazar wasn’t as dumb as he might appear or try to appear. He liked him more with every passing minute. “I don’t intend to show you my hand so early in the game. However, I can tell you that I’m not Jokaste and I know how to appreciate good things.”


	6. Frost

Laurent escaped to the backyard of Damen’s and Nikandros’ house. The backyard, as the rest of the house, was decorated in twinkling lights, all in a soft white-yellow color and Laurent was grateful that Damen didn’t seem to be the type of person to decorate in colorful, hectic, blinking lights.

He sighed and leaned against the wall of the house. There was frost on the window beside his head. Laughter drifted out from the house and he closed his eyes for a second. It was peaceful out here and he was grateful for the moment of respite. While Lazar seemed very happy with his answer in the kitchen, it was still stressful to be interrogated like that. Although Laurent would never admit it.

It was cold and not all the coldness came from outside. Laurent looked at the frost on the window again. It was a good representation of how his heart felt in this moment. Cold and slightly frosted over.

“I hope you don’t mind me joining you. I can go back inside if you want me to.” 

Laurent forced himself to open his eyes slowly, turn his head slowly, drag his gaze up and down Damen’s form slowly and finally nod his head slowly. “Please feel free to join me. I don’t mind.”

Damen threw him a tentative smile. “Thank you.” He leaned against the wall beside Laurent and looked at the lights wound around the trees.

“I’m sorry about the mistletoe. I realized that you must have hated it. You told me you’re no big fan of Christmas and all the fuss about tradition. And then this happens.” 

Laurent turned his head towards the other man. It was incredulous that Damen would apologize to him. When he had been the one to kiss his best friend right before his eyes in his kitchen at his party. A smile tugged at his lips.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Damen.”

“But I do. I know how pressure can be uncomfortable and I never wanted to put you in this position.” Damen turned his head too, and looked him deep in the eyes. “I respect you too much as a person for ever wanting to try to pressure you into anything.”

Laurent felt the breath catch in his throat. “But you didn’t pressure me. I think you didn’t actually want me to go through with it, did you?” He needed to know. His gaze dropped to Damen’s lips for only a split second. They looked soft and oh so kissable.

Damen sounded breathless when he replied, “No. No, I didn’t want you to go through with it.” His whole body-language changed. He angled himself completely towards Laurent. He stood there, open and longing, his hands hovering in the air between them. His voice was rough, “Can I touch you?”

A thousand thoughts shot through Laurent’s head, but the most prominent were ‘Yes, please’ and ‘this is much too fast’. So, he compromised. He reached out and took Damen’s hands in his own. His fingers felt like brands, they were almost hot and Laurent shuddered imperceptibly because of the warmth.

“I apologize for hurting your feelings, Damen.” It was nothing but the truth. Laurent hadn’t wanted to hurt him because Damen was important.

“No. Don’t say that. I know that you’re not interested in Nikandros. And I don’t have any right to be hurt by it.I was the idiot to hang up the mistletoe right there.”

Laurent felt warmth course through him. And it didn’t only come from the hot point of contact between them. He took a step closer. His heart fluttered in his chest. He never felt like this before and it was exhilarating. Slowly he leaned in.

He saw Damen hold his breath, his pulse fluttering in his neck. When his gaze flickered up, he saw that Damen’s pupils were blown wide and his cheeks flushed. It was very charming.

Laurent leaned in even closer. His breath hitting Damen’s lips in misty puffs. The bigger man looked like he was frozen on the spot. Then he angled his head and pressed his lips to Damen’s stubbly cheek.

He felt how Damen’s breath left him in a stuttering exhale. He couldn’t resist and leaned in even closer. “You don’t need a mistletoe for me to kiss you, Damianos. All you have to do, is ask.”

He pulled back. What he saw then was most likely the most enchanting view he ever laid his eyes on. Damen looked at him with his eyes glazed over, the expression on his face was vulnerable and so full of helpless wanting that it took Laurent’s breath away. However, he held himself carefully, as if he didn’t want to spook Laurent. His fingers twitching around Laurent’s hands.

Laurent felt all the frost melt and while the window was still frosted over, his heart felt warmer with each passing second.


	7. Bells

Damen was welcomed by the ringing of bells above the door and the smell of freshly cut flowers when he entered his mother’s shop on Saturday. Egeria’s flower shop was more welcoming in his perception than his own office in his father’s company where he trained to take over as CEO after Theomedes’ retirement.

“Damen, is that you?” His mother’s voice sounded from the backroom. She was just as much of a Christmas fan as himself, and as a result he wasn’t really surprised to hear the soft tune of Christmas songs drifting towards him. She listened to Frank Sinatra and it made him feel like a star-struck child again.

“It’s me. I brought you hot chocolate. How was yesterday?” 

Egeria came out of the backroom, placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him on the forehead. He bowed down to her automatically and she dragged one hand through his curls, so much shorter than hers. 

“It was fine. A lot of stressed people. But my flower exhibit gets great feedback from my customers, so I’m really happy. Although I think I’ll need two months of vacation after that.” Egeria took one of the cups with a smile and took a sip. 

She had tamed her hair in a messy bun on top of her head, wore loose jeans and an apron over a white jumper. She looked happy and so full of life, that Damen almost forgot the messy divorce she had behind herself with his father. He still held a grudge about that towards Theomedes.

“But tell me about you. Nikandros stopped by yesterday and told me about Auguste’s little brother, Laurent, isn’t it?” Her dark eyes pierced right through is defenses and he felt himself blush. 

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Well, that’s interesting. Nik told me that you were infatuated, but I didn’t really expect that reaction, not after Jokaste.” He felt his face grimace. She chuckled. “In that case, I take it that they aren’t as similar as Nik wanted to make me believe?”

“Absolutely not! Laurent is nothing like her.” Damen was surprised by the vehemence of his reaction. Egeria not so much. She looked amused and very glad. 

“I didn’t really expect him to be. After all, he’s Auguste’s brother and Hennike’s son.” It was a universal fact that Egeria was the biggest fan of Auguste and Hennike. She loved them almost as much as she loved Damen and that really said a lot.

Damen laughed and followed her into the backroom to help her with her shop.

“I’m happy for you, Damen. I hope he knows what a beautiful soul you have.”

“Thank you, mum. I love you.” He drew his mother into his arms and while she wasn’t fragile at all, she was still so much smaller than him, that she was almost swallowed up in his embrace. 

“I know, no son would come help his mother every Saturday for two months if he didn’t love her,” she teased but sounded a bit choked up. “I love you too, my boy. Now, enough sentimentality and more working.”

Damen grinned and let her go. They worked until she opened the front of the shop and the first clients started to fill in. She sent Damen out front, because apparently he was very charming and her customer loved when he manned the front. He fondly rolled his eyes at her, but followed her directions. 

Every time the bells rang, he flashed his brightest smile towards the new customer and most of the time received a somewhat startled but delighted smile in return. Most customers were happy to browse by themselves and when they needed assistance, he did his best to accommodate their wishes.

The next time the bells tinkled, he looked up with his Bright Smile in place and was met with the blue eyes and raised eyebrow of one Laurent deVere. The sound of the bells hadn’t faded away yet, when Laurent said, “Now that explains a lot. I was a bit confused by all the customers in this shop, but if you greet everyone like that, nothing surprises me anymore.”

Damen gaped at him. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought about purchasing flowers,” he said it as if it was obvious. Which, to be fair, it most likely was. 

Egeria stepped into the front room, alerted by the bells and Damen’s following questions. She looked Laurent up and down and then smiled just as brightly as Damen had when the door had opened.

“You must be Laurent. I heard a lot about you.”

Damen wanted to groan and hoped that the floor would swallow him up immediately. He didn’t look forward to the next minutes at all.

Fortunately, the bells tinkled again and he left Laurent in his mother’s capable hands. There was no use trying to get between Egeria and a member of the deVere family.


	8. Christmas rose

Damen tried his very best to concentrate on the customer before him. He wanted his mother to be happy and that meant that her customers needed to be satisfied with their visit. So, he really tried to not listen too hard on the conversation between Laurent and Egeria. 

It almost worked. At least the customer already knew what he wanted and was in and out of the shop in under ten minutes. Damen loved these customers. 

He stood behind the register, trying to focus on anything else but his crush talking to his mother, when he gave up. It made no sense to try and convince himself that he wasn’t curious. 

“They are really beautiful.”

“Thank you. I adore them too. Gorgeous flowers, full of hope, if you ask me.” They stood before the Christmas roses and Laurent nodded, lost in thought.

“I think he will like them, although he would never admit it.”

Egeria laughed. “Well, there are some people who struggle with honesty. But I think in the end, what’s most important is that you thought of him while picking out the present.”

Laurent nodded again. “I’ll take them.”

Egeria made her way over with one pot of Christmas roses in her hand and started to wrap them up. “How’s your brother? I saw Colette and him some days ago when they went to pick up some presents, but you know how it is, we’re all very busy at the moment.”

“He’s well. He’s working too much, but I try to get him home at a reasonable time every day. Kashel’s very glad that I’m there to make sure he eats regularly. I have no idea how he survived before I started working at the office.” Laurent leaned on the front desk casually. Throwing Egeria a smile, which she returned.

“That’s great. Don’t overwork yourself. I know how it is, Damianos is just like that. Sometimes I have to go to his office myself and drag him outside. Maybe that’s the reason why Auguste and he get along so well, they are both such workaholics.” She shook her head with a fond smile and Damen felt rather insulted.

“I have other qualities that make me a good friend, mum. Don’t listen to her, I’m not nearly half as bad as she is. She’d work herself to death if I didn’t make her take a break sometimes.”

Laurent watched on in amusement. His gaze falling onto Damen. “I’m sure you’re not all work. Somehow you need to fit in all the work-out too. Nobody looks like you if they spend all their time behind a desk.”

“They have a gym in the office building,” Egeria piped up from where she placed the flowers beside the registry. “He doesn’t have to get out of there if he wants to work-out.”

Damen felt the blush creep up his neck. He didn’t know what this was. Egeria teasing him was one thing, but for Laurent to- wind him up?, flirt with him?, playfully joking?- it threw him off completely. 

“Neither of you can judge me. From what I heard from Auguste, you Laurent, have no basis for that sort of accusation. You apparently slept in the office for more than one night after your return.”

Laurent laughed, it was honest, heartfelt and free and Damen had never before heard a more beautiful sound. It was also surprising because Laurent wasn’t one for openly laughing like that. “I only did that because my apartment was a horrible mess. The movers had a delay in their work and I don’t fancy to sleep on the floor. So the couch in the office it was.”

Then the blond man turned towards Egeria again. “I’m sorry to cut my visit so short, but I really need to get going, otherwise Nicaise, my cousin, will have my head. He’s rather grumpy anyway because of the broken leg.”

“No worries, sweetie, just promise to come again.” Egeria grinned brightly. “The flowers are on the house. Consider it a ‘welcome home’ gift from me.”

Laurent smiled at her, it was soft and Damen almost gaped. He hadn’t seen Laurent make that many facial expressions ever before. 

“Thank you very much, Egeria. I promise I’ll visit again. You have a very beautiful shop. Damen, it was nice seeing you here. Have a nice day.” He picked up the flowers and left the shop.

Egeria leaned against Damen and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “He’s charming. I approve. You should marry him.”

Damen sputtered. “Nobody said something about marriage, mum.”

“Not true, I just did. I like him very much. And you’re right. He’s not like Jokaste. I’m glad Nikandros was wrong about him.”

Damen felt warmth spread through him. “Yes, I’m glad too, and I’m happy you like him.” She patted his arm and left for the backroom again, while he was engrossed in his thoughts about Laurent.

His gaze drifted towards the Christmas roses. Maybe he should ask his mother for a pot for his office.


	9. First Snow

Laurent sent Damen the picture he had just taken and added one question mark. Then he sipped his tea and started to type on his document. The seating area looked very christmasy and he had almost grinned when he saw it. It somehow fit.

His phone pinged and he threw it a glance.

‘ _Is this where I think it is?_ ’

‘ **Maybe.’**

Laurent put his phone on the low table before him and continued to work, it was not five minutes later that a shadow fell over him. 

“Mr. deVere, what a _pleasant_ surprise.” Damen grinned brightly down at him where he sat in the lounge area of Damen’s company. His dimple was so adorable, Laurent had to focus really hard to appear serious.

“Mr. Vallis, I already arranged with your secretary that you’d be free for the next hour. Care to join me for lunch?”

The look Damen gave him at that was absolutely worth explaining his personal relationship with Damen to his sceptic secretary. 

Well, he admitted, it had been easier than expected because Egeria had told him exactly what to say to her and he was apparently blond and pretty enough to be a believable dating partner for Damen. At least Damen’s type came in handy in this situations.

“Are you ambushing me to ask me out?” Damen sounded so excited, Laurent had to put a lot of effort into maintaining a mask of absolute calm.

“Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Vallis. I’m here to discuss business of uttermost importance with you.” 

Damen’s face fell. He looked like a kicked puppy and now Laurent wanted to coo at him and then wrap him in the softest, warmest blanket he had at home. “Then are you available?”

“I am, available that is. I’ll get my coat.” 

Five minutes later they walked on the curb towards the restaurant Laurent had made reservations in. It served Mediterranean food and Laurent had picked it with Damen’s preferences in mind. When something cold landed on his cheek, he furrowed his brow. It shouldn’t be raining today.

Fortunately, they made it inside soon after. They were shown to their table, a secluded spot directly situated by a big window, and sat down. Damen leaned back, his legs casually spread and Laurent was very grateful for the table between them. He couldn’t see anything even if he wanted to. 

“So, what business do you want to discuss with me?”

Laurent leaned in and motioned for Damen to do the same. He raised his eyebrows, but leaned over the table too.

“Closer, Damianos.” He obeyed and Laurent whispered, “I need your help. The situation is dire, indeed and I’m in desperate need of assistance. You’re the only one who can help me.”

Damen looked worried and Laurent had to use every ounce of self-control to keep from bursting into laughter.

“I’ll do what I can. Laurent, I promise I’ll help you to the best of my abilities.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that. What are your plans for tomorrow?” Tomorrow was Friday and there were two weeks to go until Christmas. Now, Damen looked very confused. “I’m working.”

“And after work?”

“I- thought about working out.”

“Could I persuade you to skip your workout?” They were still both bowed over the table and Laurent could see the golden flecks in Damen’s brown eyes. He had really pretty eyes. Very warm and earnest. 

“Yes. If you need my help tomorrow, I can absolutely reschedule. Should I come over to your company or do you want to come to my office?” Damen was so cute, Laurent wanted to kiss him all over.

“No. You have to come over to my apartment.”

Now Damen finally seemed to catch up that there was something fishy going on. “You will have to tell me what you need my help for. I’m really worried here and I have the suspicion that you’re joking.”

Laurent smirked. He couldn’t keep it inside any longer. “Well, you shared your apparent proficiency in the baking field with me some time ago and I need to prove to my family that I’m not completely helpless in the kitchen.”

The words needed some time to sink in and when they did, Damen gaped at him. “That’s your ‘business of uttermost importance’?”

Laurent leaned back, nodded and then he started to laugh, because Damen’s expression was so indignant, he couldn’t hold it in for one second longer.

“I was _worried_ here!”

“I know and that was very adorable. But you didn’t answer my question yet. Could you come over to my apartment tomorrow to help me bake Christmas cookies for my whole family who assumes I’d set myself on fire as soon as I step into my kitchen?”

Damen snorted and leaned back too. “I don’t know if I want to help someone who applies such underhanded methods to get help like you, Mr. deVere.”

“Please. I’ll do _anything,_ ” Laurent said with his best innocent face while looking at Damen with big pleading eyes. He could see the other man gulp while his gaze dropped to Laurent’s mouth. “Fine. Fine. You win. I’ll be there.” 

Laurent had to look away, otherwise he might have smirked again and that was not very advisable after the stunt he had just pulled. He looked outside. “Oh, it’s snowing, look Damen. It’s the first time this year, isn’t it?”

“Beautiful.” Damen’s voice sounded almost reverently and when Laurent looked back to him, he saw that Damen wasn’t looking outside at all. He felt a flush slowly creep up his neck. Before he could say something, Damen continued, “But, then you really ambushed me to ask me out.” It sounded like a revelation. 

A little bit disbelieving. 

“Yes. And to ask you for your help.” Laurent smiled at him softly, before looking outside again, where the snowflakes fell thick and fluffy.


	10. Christmas cookies

Damen looked very sexy in Laurent’s kitchen. A feast for the eyes. Laurent suspected that Damen looked very sexy in every kitchen, but it was something different in his own, which was completely over-exaggerated and much too fancy for the time Laurent spent in it. 

The blond leaned against the counter to watch the other man bake because after ten minutes, they had established that it was safer for both of them if Laurent didn’t touch anything.

“How do you survive?” Damen shook his head, still focused on his task and Laurent wanted to lick the cacao powder from his cheek.

“There is Auguste, for once, he’s a great cook and Kashel invites me over all the time. And then there are my parents, also great in the kitchen, then business dinners once in a while and finally there is take-away.” Laurent replied while flipping through one of the recipe books. “And for the future, I’ll just have to find myself a man who can cook.”

Something clattered and he looked up to see the top of Damen’s head peak over the counter from where he had to crouch down. “Everything alright?”

“I just dropped the trowel.” Damen muttered and Laurent allowed himself a grin. It wasn’t as if Damen could see him. When he stood again, Laurent made sure that the expression on his face was innocent.

The scent of fresh Christmas cookies hung heavy in the air and Damen’s bicep looked especially good when he was kneading dough. It was a good evening. Especially because Damen looked at him like he wanted to devour him. 

Laurent rounded the island to stand beside Damen until their shoulders and arms touched and look down at the dough. “Which one is this?”

“That’s the dough for the ginger biscuits. You shouldn’t be on this side of the island.” Damen looked at him with a teasing glint in his eyes and Laurent chuckled. “I’m not touching anything.”

“You’re touching me and with your record of breaking things in the kitchen, I’m not sure I want to risk it.” Damen grinned brightly. Damn, his dimple was really adorable. And Laurent really wanted to kiss him right then, because he had wanted to kiss him since he was sixteen and now Damen was here in _his_ kitchen baking _his_ Christmas cookies. 

But he didn’t want their first kiss to end with dough in his hair. So, he just returned the grin with a smirk of his own and said, “yes, it’s best if we don’t risk it. I grew rather attached to some parts of you.” He paused and looked Damen up and down demonstratively. He heard the other man’s breath hitch. “It would be a shame if you couldn’t finish these cookies for me.”

He pulled back again, reached for an orange and started to peel it while rounding the kitchen island again. Damen looked at him as if he would like to ravish him right there and then. To be fair, Laurent wouldn’t stop him if he did. 

They stared at each other for some long moments, the tension crackling between them. They were rescued by the oven beeping and indicating that in a minute the second batch of cookies would be done. Laurent turned around to grab the gloves to get the backing tray out. Damen still watched him like a hawk. He could feel the prickle on the back of his neck.

“They look great.” Laurent observed while he opened the oven. “Thank you, Damen.”

“You’re welcome. However, don’t forget your promise. You said you’d do anything for my help.” 

Oh, Laurent remembered. The reminder was absolutely unnecessary. “I’m a man of my word. Name your price and you shall get it.”

He placed the baking tray on the saucers to cool down and turned to Damen again. 

“Please, be my date for the Christmas party at my company this year.” Damen was washing his hands, his broad back to Laurent.

“Like fake date or date date?” Laurent was careful to keep his voice level. He also kept all emotions away from his face.

“I thought that would be obvious.” Damen turned to him too, drying his hands on a towel and a soft smile on his lips. “I’d like you to be my official and completely real date to this party.” He took some steps closer and reached his hand out to brush a stray lock of hair from Laurent’s face. 

He knew he would have gotten dough in his hair if he had kissed Damen. Now, he could only look up helplessly and nod. “Yes. When do you require my presence then?”

“Next Friday. It will be a big affair, my father loves to brag. And Kastor is the most obnoxious party planner you’re ever going to meet.” Damen’s breath smelled like vanilla and Laurent gripped the counter to keep from reaching out. “Also, all my employees will try to ambush you because it will be our first appearance together.”

“I’ll be there.”

Damen smiled, it was soft and adoring and Laurent felt warmth settling in his belly. “You’re very brave.” And that was the first time Damen managed to get Laurent completely speechless. It wouldn’t be the last time.


	11. Gingerbread

To say that Damen’s visit to Laurent’s house had unsettled him would be the understatement of the century. As a result, Damen had baked the whole weekend when he wasn’t helping his mother. It helped him cope with the stress of having this wonderful, seductive, intriguing man _flirting_ with him.

Normally, he was the one who initiated the flirt, the chase and not the other way around. But Laurent was just so _different_. And Damen’s crush evolved to monumental proportions. He found himself daydreaming the whole time, at the most inappropriate moments during his day.

Nik had visited him in the kitchen on Sunday because he hadn’t seen him the whole weekend just to prevent him from burning his fingers on the too hot gingerbread. Damen had been _distracted_. It wasn’t as if he wanted to hurt himself. 

He had texted Laurent over the whole weekend and the blond man had indulged him. Replying to every single of his messages with thoughtful texts. Damen was already half in love with him. And to prevent his thoughts from spiraling, he just baked until their kitchen was completely cluttered with baked goods.

So, when he entered his office on Monday morning, he placed a tray of gingerbread houses down on the break room. One of his secretaries, Aktis, grinned brightly. “Thank you, boss!”

Damen smiled, it was a bit tired, he knew that and Aktis immediately sided up to him. “Who’s your date for the Christmas party?” He had bugged him for the last weeks almost non-stop.

“I don’t know why you would have to know this. It should be enough for you to know that I actually _have_ a date.” Aktis’ eyebrows creeped up his head. “So, you _really_ have a date?”

Damen laughed. “Yes.”

“Who is it? If you drag Lykaios with you, I’ll kick your ass.”

Damen grinned. “No, it’s not Lykaios. I thought you would want to ask her finally?” Aktis seized him up. “Yeah, maybe I should ask her.”

“Good man.” With that Damen patted his shoulder and went on to his office. There he daydreamed for exactly ten minutes about Laurent and his soft smile and his long, slender fingers and that lush ass and he couldn’t keep himself from asking Laurent out on a shared lunch break. 

He really wanted to pretend that he wasn’t glued to his phone after that, but that would be a lie. However, he could let the phone sit on his desk, ringtone on and work in parallel. After ten, he had a lot of meetings and when finally lunch time arrived, Aktis knocked at his office door as soon as he had finished the last Skype conference. 

“There is a gorgeous blond waiting for you. I took the liberty to offer him one of your gingerbread houses with his tea.”

Immediately, Damen felt a grin take over his whole face. He stood up, smoothed his tie down, pushed his arms into his jacket and walked out of his office. Laurent sat in the lounge he had occupied on Thursday, this time relaxing and staring at the little house before him. 

“They’re cute, aren’t they?” Damen’s voice seemed to jolt him out of his thoughts because his head snapped up and he had the most adorable little frown on his face.

“Pardon?”

“The houses? I think they’re very cute. One of my favorites to bake during the season.” Damen grinned and decided to ignore Aktis completely, who was staring at them in amazement. 

“Yes, you’re right. Very cute.” Laurent agreed and stood. Damen couldn’t look away from his legs, they were just so long and he pictured how they’d feel wrapped around his hips. He was sure the feeling would be heady. When the blond advanced on him, he felt his breath catch in his throat. “Missed me?” Laurent looked up with a smirk on his lips. “You were so eager. Couldn’t wait until Wednesday for our shared coffee?” It was now tradition that the two of them would go for a hot chocolate or coffee in the café they spent their first evening together.

“You have no idea,” Damen breathed. The sparkle in Laurent’s eyes made it hard to remember that he was _**at work**_ with Aktis breathing down his neck. 

“I must ask you to bake me some of these houses. Nicaise would be captivated,” Laurent said and Damen knew that if it was his choice, he’d bake them for Laurent every year to come.

Obviously, Aktis couldn’t just keep his mouth shut, because the next thing he knew, his secretary spoke to Laurent, “Then you’re his date for the Christmas party?”

“Yes.” Laurent raised one eyebrow in question. Aktis’ grin broadened even further. “I’m impressed, Damen. Good job.”

“Oh, please shut up and go ask Lykaios if she would accompany your sorry ass to the party. I see no reason for you to poke at my private life.” Damen shook his head and placed one hand at the small of Laurent’s back to guide him to the elevators.

“Don’t forget to mention the theme!” Aktis yelled after him and Laurent looked up to him. “Theme?” 

Damen groaned. Damn, he had completely forgotten about the fucking _theme_. He’d strangle Kastor the next time he saw him.


	12. Nutcracker

Damen listened to the nutcracker ballet while he jogged around the park with Pallas. Pallas didn’t really understand why he listened to classical music while doing sports but for Damen it was calming and brought a sense of peace to him that helped him focus on himself and what he needed.

His friend stopped on their next round and Damen slowed down too. 

“So, I wanted to ask you since the party, how are things going with Laurent?”

Damen must have looked very startled, because Pallas patted his shoulder and smiled. “I know you like him. Lazar told me everything.”

Damen sighed. “Yeah, sure he did. It’s good? We’re good. He’s going to the Christmas party with me tomorrow.”

Pallas grinned. “Really? I’m happy for you.”

“You don’t think I’m making a mistake?” He knew that Nikandros, for example, was absolutely against it, as was Auguste, although both of them had a very different reasoning.

“I don’t think so? First of all, I don’t know Laurent anymore, since I haven’t seen him for years. However, I always liked him back then and I don’t think he changed so completely that I wouldn’t like him anymore. Secondly, even if _I_ didn’t like him anymore, it’s your decision, is it not? You have to know what makes _you_ happy and not what makes others happy.”

Damen was suddenly overcome with gratefulness and love for his friend. He always knew Pallas was a kind and generous person, but moments like this enforced this image of his friend.

“Thank you.” Damen drew him in a tight hug and Pallas laughed. “You have nothing to thank me for. She-who-must-not-be-named was a mistake, just not the right person for you, but that doesn’t mean that Laurent is the same. I think Nikandros is just overprotective because he saw what it did to you. He doesn’t hate Laurent, he doesn’t know him enough for that, and although Laurent has kissed him, he knows it was because of a joke and nothing serious.”

“You’re a great friend, Pallas.”

“I’m the best, I know. Now, let’s see how you keep up.” The younger man started to jog again and Damen followed him with a laugh. He listened to the Waltz of the Flowers as they ran. Life was good.

When he came home, he showered and couldn’t keep his hands away from his phone anymore. He had been very good during the day and had only texted Laurent twice, but it was like an addiction. He wanted to text him all the time and talk to him during the most impossible moments.

_‘Ready for tomorrow?’_

_**‘You can be glad that I’m a secret costume nerd or you would be in serious trouble now.’**_ Laurent’s reply came almost instantaneous. Damen had told him about the theme on Monday, just like Aktis had reminded him and Laurent had only grimaced slightly and then said that he had given his word and not even the silly theme would get him to back down.

_‘Would you now share your costume idea with me?’_

_**‘No. I don’t think you deserve that. You almost forgot to inform me at all, Damianos.’** _

Yes, Laurent had refused to tell him about his costume for the party. Damen sighed. He was certain he would die tomorrow as soon as he saw Laurent. The theme of “Santa’s workshop” opened so many possibilities.

_‘I already said I’m sorry. I tried to repress the thoughts about the stupidity of my brother.’_

_**‘I think it might run in the family, the stupidity. Excluding your mother.’** _

Damen laughed when he saw the message. And then he decided to call Laurent.

“Seriously? Damianos, we were already texting.”

“You were the one to pick up my call.” Damen felt very good with that line. Until Laurent replied, with a saccharine voice, “Because otherwise you’d have bothered me until I would have picked up. I concluded I’d get it over and done with.”

For a moment Damen didn’t know if Laurent was being serious. “I’m a delight to be around,” he insisted and Laurent laughed. “That’s true.” There was some background noise and Damen thought he knew that tone.

“Are you listening to the dance of the sugar plump fairy?”

“You know the nutcracker ballet?” Laurent sounded surprised but also pleased. 

“Yes. No need to sound so surprised.”

Now Laurent laughed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. What will be your costume for tomorrow?” 

Damen stared at his costume for a moment. “I’m not quite sure? My brother arranged it and sent it to me. I think I’ll be something like Santa Junior?”

Laurent was silent for some seconds.

“Are you laughing?”

“No. I’m doing my best to avoid laughing.” Laurent replied with clearly suppressed laughter in his voice. Damen snorted. “You’re horrible.”

“Oh please, you already knew that when you invited me on our second date.”

“You’re right. I like your horrible side.” This caused another prolonged silence and Damen waited with bated breath. Not brave enough to inquire about Laurent’s feelings towards him suddenly. 

“That’s good to know. I’m sure you’ll look very handsome as Santa Junior.”

Damen felt his heart skip a beat. He would never get used to Laurent flirting with him, ever. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow again.”

“We saw each other yesterday, Damianos. You remember? The ginger coffee incident?”

Damen rolled his eyes. “Yes, your Highness, I remember. Still, I’m looking forward to it.” When Laurent replied, the smile was audible in his voice, “Me too. See you tomorrow, Damianos.” He ended the call and Damen was helplessly aroused as he turned to flop down on his bed.


	13. Bow

“You’re trying to kill him, aren’t you?” Nicaise stared at Laurent with a delighted expression on his face. Laurent had finished work a bit early to get home and get ready and his cousin had been so fed up with being cooped up at home with his broken leg, that he had demanded Laurent to come pick him up.

Laurent, who had a very soft spot for his cousin complied and now Nicaise lay on his couch in the dressing room while Laurent changed. He shrugged. “Well, he told me about the theme on Monday. So, he deserves to suffer a bit.”

“A bit? If he has functioning eyes, he’ll faint as soon as he sees you.”

“Careful or I could consider it a compliment.”

“Oh please, I’m rude not delusional. I know as well as everybody else that you’re beautiful. And this guy seems to be a lost cause if he takes you to a Christmas party at his own company.” Nicaise shrugged and continued typing on his phone. Laurent smirked and looked himself up and down in the mirror.

“Then my outfit is fitting for the occasion?”

Nicaise actually stopped looking at his phone and turned his piercing gaze on Laurent. “Well, that depends on the occasion. Do you plan on getting fucked in the first five minutes of him seeing you? Or do you want to be a respectable, boring date to a boring company party?”

Laurent laughed. “Something in between I guess?”

Nicaise looked him up and down. “Then I’d suggest you don’t wear this bow.” His gaze was fixed on Laurent’s thigh. Before Laurent could answer, the doorbell rang. “That’s my father. Help me get to the door, you slut,” Nicaise demanded and Laurent rolled his eyes but helped his cousin to the door.

“Have fun and don’t take drinks from strangers.” Nicaise reminded him when they reached the door. Laurent opened and looked at his uncle, whose eyes grew as big as saucers as he looked Laurent up and down.

“Does my sister know you walk around like that?”

Laurent rolled his eyes. “I don’t know why this would be any of my mother’s business.” His uncle sighed as if he was a difficult child and Laurent knew Nicaise had the exact same expression on his face as he had in this moment. 

“Please, it’s a theme party.” He really didn’t want to discuss this whole thing with the brother of his mother while Nicaise smirked at him like the little minx he was. “Then if you’d excuse me. Nicaise, don’t forget your homework.” He couldn’t resist saying especially when he saw the smirk slowly fading.

Laurent turned back around and closed the door before either of the two could say more. He went back to apply the golden glitter to his face. He finished exactly 8 minutes before the doorbell rang again. He snatched up his cape from the chair it had been draped over. 

He strode to the door and opened. He felt his jaw drop open slightly. 

He absolutely hated the holiday season. It was too much stress and people were all rather agitated. But if he could get Damen to look like _that_ during the whole season, he would never again complain. 

Because Damen’s guess had been right. He was definitively Santa Junior. A very sexy Santa Junior. The black boots came up to his knees. His trousers had to be tailored to accentuate _everything_ to its most advantage, Laurent wanted him to turn around _very_ badly for a moment, but then he realized that this would mean that he wouldn’t get to stare at the expanse of muscled, bronze chest visible under the white trimmed jacket held together by a black belt. He dragged his eyes up to Damen’s face and honestly, he felt his knees go weak. 

“Oh for fucks sake,” Damen ground out, before pushing him into the apartment and against the nearest wall. Trapping his hands over his head in a bruising grip. “Are you serious?”

Laurent needed a split second to catch up with what he meant. “I take it, you like it.” He sounded smug to his own ears. He knew he looked good.

His costume consisted of black ankle boots, dark blue stocking with golden snowflakes stitched upon it, a dark blue tunic, laced up the front and his arms in gold, covering his ass just so. He wore his hair down, falling in soft waves around his face, the blue elf cap was also stitched in golden snowflakes, almost the same shade as his hair. But the highlight clearly was the golden bow around his thigh just visible under the edge of the tunic.

“Oh, I like it, alright.” Damen’s voice was gravely and it caused a shudder to run down Laurent’s spine. He tipped Laurent’s face up with the knuckle of his free hand under his chin. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

Laurent felt the breath catch in his throat. “Really?”

“Yes. Really.” Damen’s eyes were dark and so intensely focused on Laurent, that he couldn’t look away, even if he wanted to.

Damen’s lips against his were soft and warm and tender. Laurent couldn’t decide if he wanted to struggle just to get his hands on Damianos or if he wanted to go pliant to maybe get Damen’s hands on his body.

A gasp tumbled over his lips right when Damen pulled back again. He let his wrists go and put both hands on Laurent’s thigh, right where the bow was visible. His breathing was accelerated when he said, “I don’t think I’ll survive this evening and I can’t really decide if I want to kill Kastor or write him a five page letter of thanks.”


	14. Sleigh

Laurent decided to keep the bow tied to his thigh. Just for researching purposes. He was really curious how long it would take for Damen to unravel and detach the bow himself, preferably with his teeth.

He never pretend to be an innocent and Damen knew it only too well. “Give me a minute,“ he pleaded when they parked at the company lot and Laurent was about to get out of the car.

“Of course. I‘m at you disposal, Santa,“ Laurent practically purred. Damen groaned and closed his eyes.

“Why? Why does it have to be a theme party?“

“Because it‘s fun, obviously. I like your brother already. Especially because he was the one to pick your costume. He made a very good first impression.“ Laurent trailed his fingers up over Damen’s arm. “You look exceptionally handsome tonight, Damianos. Almost as much so as when you wore that read jumper to our café date two weeks ago.“

He knew Damen hung on by a thread but he had no intention of pulling punches because of that. They had danced around each other for weeks now and Damen had _kissed_ him. And instead of quenching the need inside of him it had only increased in urgency. Laurent had wanted this man for years now. He thought he deserves some sweet revenge. 

Damen stared at him with a dangerous glint in his eyes, he looked ready to pounce and Laurent knew that if they didn‘t get out of the car in the next ten seconds chances were high they wouldn‘t get out at all. 

He pushed the door open and climbed out and if his tunic rode up the slightest bit, well, accidents like that happen to the best. He knew he didn‘t imagine the whimper coming from inside the car. 

The location was wonderfully decorated and Laurent forgot for a moment that he actually didn‘t like Christmas. It just looked so pretty and glittering. Damen led him towards the bar with a warm hand on the small of his back. “You look really stunning, sweetheart.“

Laurent felt his heart skip a beat at the endearment. “My, thank you, charming fellow.“ The other guests were dressed as snowmen and -women, elves, reindeers, snow fairies, even Jack Frost seemed to be there.

“Damen! I knew this would suit you.“ They both turned around at the unfamiliar voice. Laurent saw another Santa Junior join them. This one however had a dark beard and looked older than Damen. Yet, the similarities were so striking that he knew immediately that this had to be Kastor.

“Kastor, thank you for organizing the whole event. It‘s perfect.“ Damen grinned brightly and drew his brother into a bear hug.

“Thank you. But who‘s your lovely companion?“ Kastor seized Laurent up. His eyes catching on the bow but otherwise being very respectful.

“Kastor, that‘s Laurent deVere. Laurent, that’s my brother Kastor.“

Kastor shook his hand with a broad smile. “You’re Auguste’s little brother, aren’t you? Not so little anymore if you allow me the remark. Damen is completely besotted. On Tuesday during dinner he couldn‘t stop talking about you. For the last three weeks at least.“ The words were out with a teasing lilt to them and Damen actually flushed. It looked adorable in Laurent‘s opinion.

“I‘m not surprised. I‘m a very enthralling topic.“ His smirk had to tell a story of its own because Kastor laughed and clapped a hand on Damen’s shoulder. “I like him. You should bring him to dinner next time. I have to excuse myself, I think Torveld just made an entrance and you know how he is.“ Damen’s face told Laurent that he knew exactly how Torveld was and that he was glad his brother was taking care of the man.

Kastor shook Laurent‘s hand again, wished them a lovely evening and disappeared. 

“I like him. You really should bring me over to dinner sometime. I might be an enthralling topic for conversation but I’m even more intriguing when I’m present.“ 

Damen’s face was so red, Laurent almost laughed. It took an immense effort on his part that he kept a straight face and looked around to give Damen some moments to get over his shock and embarrassment due to his brother’s words.

However, it didn‘t take long for Laurent to catch the next thing to tease Damen with. 

“Well, now tell me, Damianos, how vast are your responsibilities as Santa Junior?“ 

“I think I do about the same things as Santa Senior, just with less beard and more chest on display.“ He sounded cautious, as if he knew that Laurent wanted to torture him.

Laurent looked at the immense sleigh again. “So, that would also include you sitting in your sleigh and letting people sit on your knees to tell you their wishes? What if my wish was very naughty? Would you have to punish me?“

Damen‘s eyes darkened again. He looked over to the sleigh and then back to Laurent, understanding dawning on his face. “Oh, that depends. You’re an elf in my workshop after all. I can’t tolerate insubordination.“ His voice was almost hypnotic. Laurent couldn’t look away.

“That‘s very true. What is an adequate punishment for disrespect?“ He stepped closer, one hand finding the open collar of Damen’s jacket. His fingers brushing over the naked skin visible between the V of the neckline.

Damen bowed his head down to whisper into his ear, it made Laurent shudder against him. “As you‘re already sitting on my knees in this scenario, I‘d just bend you over and spank you until you wouldn‘t even think about disrespecting me in my own workshop anymore. Or maybe I could bend you over the front of the sleigh and fuck you until you cried for mercy. What a pretty sight that would make. Or, even better, first one and then the other.“

Laurent bit his lip. Damn him, but Damianos really knew how to get him hot and bothered. And yet, they still had to have their second kiss. It was torture. Sweet, agonizing torture.


	15. Magic

Damen couldn’t tear his eyes away. It was like he was hypnotized. He stared and stared and stared and wasn’t even embarrassed. Because whoever saw Laurent wouldn’t be able to look away either. It was like all gazes were magically drawn to the blond man. But Damen was the only one allowed to touch and that thought made his head spin.

“Oi, Boss! Looking good.” Aktis’ obnoxious voice snapped him out of his dreamy staring at Laurent’s lips. He turned his head slowly and saw his secretary, dressed as snowflake walk towards him. Lykaios walked beside him, she looked lovely in her snow fairy costume, and smiled at him.

“Hello Aktis, Lykaios. Do you enjoy yourselves?“

Lykaios smiled softly and replied, “Very much, Damianos. And you?“

Damen looked at Laurent, he felt his breath catch when he met Laurent‘s eyes. “Yes. Lykaios, this is Laurent deVere. Akits, you met already.“ Laurent stepped forward and shook Lykaios‘ hand. Here eyes went wide for a second before she beamed at him. Aktis‘ jaw hit the floor when he stared at the blond man. Damen almost laughed.

“A pleasure to meet you.“ 

Laurent shook Aktis hand next and Damen couldn’t resist but pull him closer with his arm around his waist. Laurent’s hand wandered up his back and settled between his shoulder blades. Damen wanted to feel his hand on his skin.

They made small talk and then Theomedes found his younger son. Obviously, he was dressed as Santa and his booming laugh resonated through the room when he hugged his son. “Your brother took his responsibility very seriously.“

Damen smiled at his father. “He always does. Father, that is Laurent deVere. Laurent, this is my father Theomedes Vallis.“ 

“So you‘re Auguste‘s little brother? Please, call me Theomedes. I assume we‘ll see more of each other.“ Damen’s father was grinning happily when he winked at his son. Damen felt the flush creep up his neck. Laurent smiled up at him, it was blinding, “Oh, I hope so.“

Damen felt something in his chest flutter. Theomedes laughed and clapped Laurent‘s shoulder. “I‘m sure if this one is half as intelligent as I hope him to be then he’ll take hold of his chance and hold on tightly. Excuse me please, I’ll have to talk to some partners, but Laurent, please come to the next Tuesday dinner. Damen make sure he’s attending.“ 

Laurent agreed and then turned to Damen with a smirk on his lips. “Now, Damianos, did you happen to talk about me with your father?“

Damen felt himself flush and it was not out of embarrassment, why should he be embarrassed? Laurent was every single one of his dreams made flesh and there was no point in denying it. No, he flushed because there was a wave of want that flooded his body, made him shake with it and wanting to get his hands all over the man smirking at him as if he had just discovered a well guarded secret. 

He was enchanting. And Damen wanted to touch every inch of his skin, divest him of his clothes and lick him all over. His eyes dropped to that damn golden bow. Damen imagined how he’d go to his knees before the blond menace and put his mouth to the pale thigh and then start pulling at the bow with his teeth until the knot would disentangle-

“Mr. Vallis, sir. You’re standing under a mistletoe.“ A cheery voice jolted him out of his aroused musings about Laurent’s legs and he turned his head to see one of the interns standing beside them, a mistletoe hanging from a pole over their heads.

Laurent chuckled. “The mistletoe antic seems to run in the family too.“ His voice was amused and his eyes were twinkling and before Damen could open his mouth to say something, Laurent was in his space and pulled him down by the lapels of his jacket.

“At least this time I‘m going to kiss the right person,“ he purred against Damen‘s lips and then he felt Laurent‘s mouth on his and every thought was wiped from his mind.

Laurent tasted just as good as he had some hours before and this time around the kiss was soft and slow and almost chaste. Damen wrapped an arm around Laurent’s slender waist and pulled him closer. He didn‘t think he had ever felt this happy about a simple kiss before. There was no explosion of passion like during their first kiss, but a slow spread of rightness through his whole body. 

Everything tingled and warmed up, from the tips of his toes to the top of his head and he was sure, if magic existed in this world, this had to be it.

Again, it was Laurent, who pulled back. Damen stared into his eyes as the other man rested their foreheads together. “That was adequate. For a mistletoe kiss.“

Damen stared at him in disbelief for a second before bursting out in pearls of laughter. “You, Mr. deVere, are truly wicked.“

Laurent smiled up to him and patted the exposed part of his chest with one hand. “Don‘t tell my brother.“ 

And oh fuck, Damen had completely forgotten about Auguste and how he‘d take the news that he was dating his baby brother. 

It was like someone had dumped icy water over his head. He stared at Laurent with dread in his gut and most likely written all over his face judging by Laurent surprised lifting of his brows.


	16. Wrapping paper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear readers,  
> I thank you all so much for the support for this story. You are the best <3.  
> I'll answer your comments as soon as I can, however, I'm in typical final exam stress at the moment and thus rather preoccupied with not loosing my mind. I just want you to know that your comments make my day and I'm so happy to read them and receive your appreciation for the story. Thank you all so much!

Auguste wasn‘t subtle. Maybe that was one of the reasons they got along so well, Damen mused. Because he wasn’t subtle either. Both of them couldn’t deceive someone and if their life was at stake. Honesty and loyalty were virtues valued by both. All in all, they had many things in common.

Thus Damen wasn‘t surprised that Auguste started interrogating him as soon as they set out for their shopping trip. Colette was carried on Auguste’s back, thickly swaddled in multiple layers of warm clothes while she looked around and pointed things out with a delighted lilt in her voice.

“Did you meet my brother again after the mistletoe incident?“ Yes, Auguste wasn‘t subtle at all, but Damen could appreciate that. He _wanted_ to be honest with his best friend.

“I did. We went for coffee multiple times.“ Start with the basics, he thought, maybe then Auguste wouldn’t explode. Maybe he could accept Damen’s interest in his baby brother if he knew that Damen was serious about him.

They entered a shop. Auguste trying for casual as they strolled through aisles full of Christmas decoration. All glittering and corny. Damen loved it. “Then you’re friends now?“

Damen stopped. He pretend to inspect a roll of wrapping paper with golden snowflakes on a dark blue background. He was reminded of Laurent’s costume at the Christmas party of his company and how he had later on kneeled before the blond man, put his mouth on him and pulled a golden bow loose with his teeth.

“No. We‘re not friends, Auguste.“ He answered with a sigh and a look at his best friends face. Said best friend did his best to look unbothered.

“So you’re telling me you‘re- what? doing The Thing with him?“ Damen almost laughed at Auguste’s self-restraint before his daughter. It was adorable.

“No. We didn’t do The Thing yet.“ He replied amused. He hadn’t even brought Laurent off after pulling the bow off, although he had wanted to, badly. But he had too much of old-fashioned code of loyality ingrained in his head to go behind his best friend’s back. Though Laurent had only rolled his eyes and declared that _he_ was the one to consent and not Auguste.

Damen had consoled him with a kiss and cuddles before promising to speak with Auguste.

“ _Yet_ , you say.“ The blond man looked utterly defeated. “What are you’re intentions, Damianos? I swear to god, if you only see him as a beautiful and convenient partner for That or a good rebound after She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and then drop him like a hot potato, I’m going to kill you. Best friend and all.“

Damen stared at him with his jaw slack. What? Was that what Auguste had thought from the beginning? No wonder he had behaved like a protective mama bear.

“It’s not like that, Auguste. I like him, very much. I think I’m falling in love with him. I’m very serious about this relationship.“ He knew Auguste wasn’t completely happy yet. However, Colette started to fuss and he got her out of the carrier and placed her down. “Now, sweetheart, I’m sorry for only talking to uncle Damen. Do you want to pick the wrapping paper for papa?“ 

“Yes.“ She walked up and down the aisle with a very important air around herself and suddenly Damen felt the laughter bubble up inside him. Laurent had looked exactly the same last week when they went to buy some ingredients for ginger houses before their weekly coffee date.

“What?“ Auguste furrowed his brow in question.

“She walks just like Laurent. All poised and important. They have a lot of similarities.“ 

Auguste stared at his daughter and then a grin spread across his face. “You’re right! Laurent was just like that as a toddler. Well, this might explain why she‘s so insanely attached to him.“

Colette took her sweet time and the two men followed her and discussed the options with her as she tried to argue for one or another. In the end she lost motivation and picked some paper in a startling blue and another in a warm red. 

Damen chose the dark blue one with the golden snowflakes ( **obviously**!) and a black one with silver patterns all over it. He kept away from the glittery paper because that was a nightmare to handle.

As they made their way to the other end of the shop, Damen put Colette up on his shoulders and she fisted her tiny hands in his hair to keep herself upright. However, he knew her antics of suddenly letting all tension in her little body go and drop down his back, so he wrapped one hand tightly around her small waist to keep her up. His hand spanned her back effortlessly.

When they were back in Auguste‘s house and Damen worked on a puzzle with Colette, Auguste finally brought the topic up again. “If you‘re serious about him and promise me to be honest with him, then I think I can‘t really be against your relationship. You‘re a good person, Damen, and if you make my baby brother happy, well, then I can only congratulate you on the biggest gift you‘ll ever receive.“

Damen looked up to his friend and smiled. He stood and pulled Auguste in a tight hug. “Thanks, Auguste. That means a lot.“ The blond man laughed and pushed at his chest after some seconds. “You need to finish this puzzle with my daughter or the wrath of a toddler will befall you and I promise you, that’s no fun.“

Damen took it for what it was. Auguste‘s blessing. He grinned, sat back down and thought about Laurent’s face when he’d present him with his gift wrapped in golden snowflakes. 


	17. Oranges & Tangerines

Hennike peeled an orange while smiling at Laurent. He smiled back. His mother stood in his kitchen and observed him. It was not unusual for her to come over and Laurent was quite comfortable in her presence. 

“I heard from Auguste that you’re seeing someone. You don’t have to talk about it, but if you want, you can.” She finally looked away as she washed her hands. Laurent chuckled. “So, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut?”

Hennike laughed. She knew he was joking mostly. “He was quite upset about it, actually. It was very cute, I needed to explain to him that you’re an adult and he shouldn’t interfere. It took me two hours to get it into the thick skull of his.”

Laurent smiled at her. “Thanks, maman.”

“For you, I’d do anything, mon chou.” 

They relocated to the living room where Laurent offered her tea. “Well, if we’re already on the topic, I can tell you all about it. Auguste might be upset because it’s Damianos I’m seeing.” Hennike’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

Laurent nodded, concentrating hard on his tea. 

“I’m not actually surprised. I’m just surprised Auguste could keep his mouth shut. I mean I love him with all my heart, but this boy can’t keep a secret normally.” Hennike laughed softly while observing Laurent closely. He smiled again, while simultaneously grabbing a tangerine to peel. 

“We went for coffee first and then for lunch and he helped me with the cookies I brought for our last dinner. And we went to the Christmas party at his company.” Laurent couldn’t help himself, he looked at his mother with all his walls down. He just wanted her to be happy for him and approve.

“That sounds quite serious, Laurent. I didn’t know it was so serious. Is Auguste aware of it? He made it sound as if it was a fling.” Her eyes were impossible wide while she looked at her youngest son. “I’m not sure. I didn’t talk to him yet. He was so busy over the last weeks and I was afraid he might be upset about it.”

Hennike sighed. “You know, I was always very glad that you and Auguste have such a great relationship. It made my life as mother a lot easier and I love you both so much. Thus, I was always glad that you looked up to him. 

However, Laurent even if your brother were upset, it would be _his_ problem. Not yours. You deserve to be happy and if Damianos makes you happy, you don’t have to worry about Auguste or me, for that matter. We love you so much we just want you to be happy and even if he would be upset at first, he’d get around eventually.”

Laurent smiled softly at his mother. “I know, maman. You’re right, but he’s Damianos’ best friend. I don’t want them to argue because of me. I just came back some months ago. They’re friends since forever.”

“Yes. However, I argue that Auguste would be actually relieved if he knew that your relationship is serious and not just some flirt or fling. Just talk to him and if he’s acting stubborn, send him to me, I’ll knock some sense into him.”

He focused on her face, lovely, open and so full of acceptance that Laurent felt his chest constrict. Hennike was a beautiful woman. Her long blond hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders and her blue eyes twinkled with mischief. The soft lines around them just showing how much she actually laughed. Laurent scooted over and pulled her into a hug. “Thanks, maman. I love you very much.”

“Oh, I love you too. Are you sure you’re alright?” Hennike sounded worried. Laurent understood, he was normally not this emotional, but right now, he couldn’t help himself. He had missed his family so much over the last years and to know that she supported him in his relationship lifted a heavy weight from his shoulders.

“I’m fine. Sorry.” Laurent shoved almost half his tangerine in his mouth to avoid saying something completely sappy, which would only make her worry more. “Tell me about papa. How is he?”

Hennike shrugged. “He’s very upset that we won’t spend Christmas with you boys. He actually wanted to call off the trip at least five times. It’s rather a lot of work to talk him down from it again. I just want to get it all done.”

“He had the idea.”

His mother laughed. “Oh I know. But you know how he is. He thinks his idea is great until he realizes that the idea isn’t all that great.”

Laurent shook his head. “Well, you two will be sorely missed, but we will manage. You’re back after the New Year and then we’ll just celebrate a second time.”

“Bring Damen over for the second celebration. If you feel comfortable with it. I like him very much, he’s always so much fun.”

Laurent ate another slice of tangerine. “You just want to tease him, maman. Don’t try to deny it.”

“Well, who if not me? Because your father and your brother are much too earnest to tease someone efficiently.” Her smirk was devious as she popped the last slice of orange in her mouth.


	18. Chimney

Laurent saw his breath escape in little puffs in the air. The evening was chilly, but the warm lights lining the street made up for the coldness, at least in his opinion. 

“Why do we have to go out in this freaking cold? Can’t we just go inside, somewhere cozy and warm and cuddle? I’d love to cuddle with you right now.” Damen sounded a little bit like a whiny child and Laurent couldn’t resist kissing his cheek. 

“Poor, sunshiny Damianos. But watching the lights is the only thing I like about the season. And I told you you don’t have to come with me. I could have asked someone else.”

“But I wanted to see you.” Damen drew him close to his side with one arm slung around his shoulder and Laurent rolled his eyes fondly. They walked through the streets of the city, all lit up in the twinkling lights of Christmas decoration. It was beautiful. At least in Laurent’s opinion, but he learned fast that Damen didn’t agree with him.

While he seemed to love Christmas and everything involved with it, he also despised the cold and Laurent had a hard time to reconcile the man who sang about snow and white Christmas with unparalleled enthusiasm with the man who clung to him and sniffed pitifully because his nose started running.

It was hilarious, but he refrained from pointing the illogical attitude out. He just patted Damen’s back with his gloved hand, finished his sight seeing and then led Damen to his apartment. There he deposited the man on his couch, wrapped him in his softest blanket and started a fire in the chimney before making some tea. 

Damen sighed happily when he put the hot drink before him. “You‘re the best. I don‘t know what I did to deserve you, but I thank every deity until all eternity.“

Laurent rolled his eyes with a smile on his lips. “Overdramatic much? Drink your tea and shut up.“

Damen grinned up at him. “Oh sweetheart, am I making you blush?“

Laurent indeed felt the heat creep up his neck, he knew Damen saw it, his skin was pale enough that even the lightest flush was visible. “With your utter shameless flirting? Yes. You are hopeless.“

Wrong thing to say because Damen just grabbed him by his hips and dragged him into his lap. “For you? Absolutely. Completely helpless, your Majesty. I worship the ground you walk on. Would you like me to attend you?“ 

Laurent couldn‘t hold back his laugh. “Please, just shut up!“ He wanted to get up again but Damen held fast. “Nope, I wanted to cuddle and I will cuddle. Resistance is futile.“ 

The words made everything feel all tingly and warm. It was more effective than the fire in the cimney or the thick gloves he had worn during their walk. Laurent turned so that he yould look into Damen‘s face. 

He was so handsome and he was here in Laurent‘s living room. Just like back when Damen had baked cookies in his kitchen, it surprised Laurent with how right it felt. He should stop being surprised to find Damen in his living space and _liking_ it. 

Damen observed him, trepidation buried flimsily unter a shaky smile and Laurent melted a little at that. He straddled Damen’s lap to get more comfortable, slung both arms around his shoulders and buried his whole face against the crook of Damen’s neck. He inhaled deeply and exhaled with a content noise. 

“Sometimes you‘re like a cat.“ Damen mumbled against his temple, his shoulders relaxed under Laurent’s hands. The blond huffed in mock annoyance. “Should you really risk ruining my rare moment of tender indulgence with such nonsense?“ 

Damen laughed, his breath caressed Laurent‘s cheek and then his hands found their way to his back and he started rubbing them up and down his spine. Laurent practically melted. He had to hold back a noise of pure delight and keep from snuggling even closer. Damn this man for making him putty in his hands.

“I like it. This so called rare moment of tender indulgence. You should do it more often.“ Damen whispered the words so softly, Laurent had to stop breathing to hear them. He pulled back a bit in order to watch the other man‘s face. 

“Maybe you‘re right,“ he agreed and started to map Damen‘s face with the tip of his fingers. “If someone would have told my 16 year old self that this would happen, I would have laughed in their faces. You were so unattainable back then.“

Damen stared at him, he was clearly surprised. “You liked me even back then?“

“For fucks sake Damianos, I think you‘re the only one who didn‘t know how infatuated I was with you. Kashel teased me even now and my brother is lecturing me to not let my decision be influenced by my teenage crush.“ He smirked, while tracing Damen’s lips. He could feel Damen’s hand creep up to his neck and into his hair. 

“I never knew- you are so...“ Damen strained towards him, his lips slightly parted and pupils blown wide. The shadows flickered over his handsome face and the shine of the fire made his skin glow in the soft light. Laurent gave in, how couldn’t he? Temptation was calling out for him and he was not the paragon of virtue his brother was. 

His pressed his lips against Damen. Their kiss was soft, tender and almost reverently. Nothing was hurried or impatient because he had waited for a long time and he would wait for a bit longer.

They sat there for a long time, until the fire in the chimney extinguished and only red coal simmered in the darkness, until Laurent couldn‘t feel his legs anymore and he was sure Damen had fallen asleep. Only then did he disentangle himself, arrange Damen on his couch and cover him with all available blankets before going to bed.


	19. Christmas market

Damen wasn’t a fan of the cold temperatures. He was self-aware enough to know that he tended to start whining when he was cold. He was also aware of the fact that Laurent didn’t have the same issues with the coldness. It suited him even. Laurent looked like he was born for the cold. He fit in this environment of all the blinking lights, and ice crystals and the unreal beauty. 

It was hard to look at him, illuminated by the lights of the booths around them. But it was even harder to look away from him. He looked so beautiful and happy and Damen wanted to keep it that way. Seeing Laurent content and happy was like warmth spreading through his whole body, it was like sunlight caressing his skin and in those moment he didn’t mind the cold at all.

When Laurent came back from the booth with the mulled wine and handed Damen his cup, he couldn‘t keep his hands to himself.

“Here you go, you whiny summer child.“ The words hadn‘t left Laurent‘s mouth yet when Damen was already wrapping his arm around his waist and pulling him close. Laurent looked up with a raised eyebrow and a twitch of his lips in amusement. “You can be glad I’m rather proficient at carrying hot beverages or the whole cup would have been dumped all over you.“

Damen grinned before kissing him softly. “I have a very talented boyfriend, I know.“ Because that‘s what they were now and he was just so giddily happy he wanted to shout and scream.

Laurent hummed at that and took sip of his drink without trying to get out of the embrace. “We‘re going to get ourselves killed if I judge Auguste‘s expression right.“ 

“Not with his daughter present,“ Damen argued with a quick glance towards his best friend, who carried Colette on his shoulders.

“You have no idea. We in the north start to teach our children the correct way of decapitating people at the tender age of five. Do you really think Auguste would pass up the opportunity to start the education early on?“ Laurent sounded so flippantly matter of factly that Damen could only gape at him for a second before bursting out laughing.

“You’re horrible. Your brain is a place of terrible beauty.“ 

Laurent shrugged, obviously unapologetic and with a smirk on his lips. “You haven‘t met my cousin, Nicaise, yet. I told you about his broken leg?“

“Yes, the one you bought the Christmas rose for?“

Laurent nodded, while taking a step back and offering Damen his gloved hand. “He‘s at least 10 times more wicked than I am. I taught him everything I know by his 13. birthday and he didn‘t stop there, if you gather my meaning.“

Damen grasped the outstretched hand and asked himself what he had done to deserve this. Because when Laurent spoke of his cousin, he did so with a tenderness and fondness that made it hard to breath. If he had thought he could fall any further, that would be the moment it happened.

“He must like you very much.“

“Oh yes, he loves me, the little menace. I love him too, so it is just the balance of the universe.“ Laurent smiled and dragged him back to a scowling Auguste and a delighted Colette and a grinning Kashel.

“You two are so disgustingly cute, I can‘t take it,“ Kashel stared as soon as they were within earshot.

Damen could hear Laurent snorting. “Sorry, but I had to watch you two dance around each other for month and then listen to you fucking for months after you got your heads out of your asses whenever I came over to Auguste’s. I don‘t think I grant you the right to judge me. Either of you.“

“Language, Laurent!“ Auguste looked affronted and Laurent lifted his gaze to his niece. “Sweetheart, what arrangement do we have?“

“Not saying the F-word ‘til high school,“ Colette parroted with a big grin on her face and Laurent nodded seriously. “The effect is much stronger if you get a big audience and if you can pull it off completely unexpectedly. Ah... Nicaise‘s first use of the F-word was legendary, but we can aim higher sweetheart. Am I right?“

Colette nodded very seriously and Laurent lifted his hand for a high five. She pressed her small hand against his and then started to giggle while Auguste groaned. “Why did I ever think making you her godfather was a good idea?“

“Because you know I would die for either of you in a heartbeat,“ Laurent didn’t sound as if he was joking at all and suddenly Damen knew that Laurent was very serious about this. “Now come here sweetheart. Your daddy is so boring he wouldn’t know fun if it hit him in the face.“ 

Kashel cackled while patting her husband‘s arm in consolidation. All the while Auguste looked very betrayed by his brother‘s words although all of them knew they weren‘t true. Damen had lived through some of the most fun nights of his life with Auguste right beside him (more often than not with the blond man as the initiator, due to the fact that he was the older one and blessed with the wicked streak of humor all members of his family seemed to posses).

Colette didn‘t hesitate a second. She launched herself into Laurent‘s arms and laughed like a little maniac. Laurent laughed too and Damen- well Damen was pretty sure his heart was going to explode right there. In the middle of a Christmas market.


	20. Scarf

Damen opened the door. It was late in the evening, Nik was away for his shift as a policeman and he had been watching Netflix without really watching and pestering Laurent to convince him to come over before the doorbell rang. But now, he stood there and gaped. 

Because before him stood no other than Laurent himself. Who had just texted him that he was annoying and should go to sleep. But that was not the reason Damen was gaping. Because while Laurent certainly was able to eviscerate him with words, Damen also knew that the man had a soft spot for him. 

Laurent was always tender when he was involved, even if he insulted him. And thus Damen couldn‘t give less of a shit when Laurent called him a brute or annoying.

No, Damen was staring like he was caught in the headlights of a nearing truck because Laurent had something wrapped around his throat and it made Damen‘s brain short-circuit. 

He was aware that it was winter and he was also very aware that any sensible person would wear a scarf now, because it was fucking freezing, alright?! Laurent was out of his mind to enjoy this weather. Honestly, it wasn‘t enjoyable at all. He was freezing his balls off even with only opening the door and that wasn‘t something he really wanted to risk. No permanent damage please.

He was wandering from the subject. Back to the topic at hand. Laurent wore a- scarf? wrapped around his pale neck and Damen was completely losing it right then and there.

Because that was no ordinary scarf and Damen had never thought he could get turned on from a simple piece of cloth around another person‘s neck but somehow it was happening right then. The- scarf? was of a pale blue, it was almost silver in the light of the house. It looked like- water. Water wound around Laurent‘s throat. 

Damen was sure it would be translucent if taken off and unfolded. The material shimmered and rippled when Laurent spoke, “Can I come in or do you plan to waste the rest of our lives standing here in the entrance?“ One pale eyebrow rose in challenge but Damen didn‘t even react to it, he was too busy staring at Laurent‘s throat and the scarf around it.

He stepped back without a word and let Laurent in. His boyfriend obviously realized that something was bothering Damen rather a lot. He stepped inside and then halted. “Damen?“

“Hm?“ He knew he should turn around and go inside or even move to kiss Laurent, everything would be more sensible than what he was doing right now. Because he was still staring and asking himself how that material had to feel on the tender skin that bruised so easily and was so suckable.

“You‘re aroused and I have no idea why and while I enjoy seeing you like this, I’d also like to know the reason for it,“ Laurent stated plainly just to continue with, “Were you watching porn?“ And that managed to rip Damen from his hypnotic staring. He almost choked on his own spit and for the next minute he was too occupied with getting air back into his lungs to really think about the compelling picture Laurent posed with the scarf wrapped around him.

“I take that as a clear no.“ Laurent had taken off his cap. His blond hair glinted in the light of their entrance. And he was now tugging his gloves off, one finger at a time and that was just another thing. Because with Laurent, even the simple act of taking off gloves was one of the sexiest things Damen had ever seen. 

“Then would you be inclined to tell me what has you so worked up?“ Laurent shed his coat and hung it up and then he lifted his hands to his throat and Damen couldn’t keep the noise to himself. It was a small thing. But it was desperate and he felt himself flush. 

The blond man stared at him for a moment before lowering his hands again, slowly, with a smirk on his lips. “The scarf?“ 

Damen could only nod. Because now he had an even better view and he wanted to feel Laurent’s pulse through the soft material and see how it would shiver and shift when he caressed his fingers from the sharp jaw to the enticing dip of a collarbone.

Laurent stepped closer. He smelled really good. “Alright, my dear brute, I‘ll leave it on.“ Damen swallowed. His throat clicked and he could see Laurent‘s amusement rising. 

“Let‘s relocate, shall we?“ Laurent turned and walked into the living room and Damen followed him like a lost puppy. He tried to take some calming breaths but it didn’t really work and when Laurent nudged his thigh with his foot and smirked at him, Damen knew he was doomed.

“To be honest, after yesterday and our Christmas market outing, I just assumed that you and Auguste talked. He told me today that if you would ever hurt me, he would hurt you ten times more.“ Oh yes, Damen was definitively doomed. “That means we don’t have to abide to your old-fashioned code of loyalty anymore, do we?“ Laurent asked, casual as one can be.

And he was right. Damen felt his head snap up, because _Laurent was right_. His voice was hoarse when he replied, “No, we don’t, sweetheart.“ 


	21. Cinnamon

Damen smelled like cinnamon and Laurent refused to open his eyes and be confronted with reality. Damen was a solid, warm weight beside him. He had one arm thrown over Laurent and it was so comforting, that he couldn‘t decide if he wanted to go back to sleep again or if he wanted to stay awake to just bask in the moment a bit longer. He wriggled a little bit, smiling when Damen tightened his grip and pulled him more firmly against his chest. 

It was such a nice chest and Laurent never wanted to get out of this bed again. He closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. The last thing he thought before sleep took over was how happy he was since he came back from France and that maybe Damen would appreciate some dirty propositions whispered to him in French. He should test the theory as soon as possible.

It was still dark when he woke the next time due to the click of the door falling shut, but that didn’t mean much, because at this time of the year, it was dark pretty much all the time. Mornings were already bad enough without the darkness, but right now they were how Laurent imagined hell.

He rolled over with a sigh and buried his whole face in the pillow. His body was sore and felt languid and relaxed. Everything around him, but most intensely the pillow, smelled like cinnamon and he felt the urge to suffocate himself with it. 

He smiled. Maybe if he got to wake up like this every day then it wouldn‘t be that bad. That was until he heard the voice, “Sweetheart, you have to get up.” Then he grimaced. He didn’t feel very inclined to get up. He really didn’t want to move a muscle. 

“No.”

The man laughed, Laurent could feel it, although it was not more than silent vibrations close to him. When a hand found his hair and strong fingers started brushing through his long strands every hope of him getting up anytime soon vanished.

Damianos had just sealed their fate of being late to work with his action and Laurent didn’t care at all. The man would simply have to stay home and continue petting him for all eternity. He was sure he could convince him somehow that this was exactly what they both wanted.

“No?” Damen’s deep voice was closer now and Laurent managed to turn his head to properly look at him from his sprawl on his stomach. “No,” he repeated and could see how Damen’s mouth stretched into a big grin. His dimple deepened and Laurent wanted to lick it. 

Damen’s scent came closer again and that put things into context. Laurent decided right then that he didn’t want to lick only Damen’s dimple, he wanted to lick him all over. Damn, that man smelled delicious.

“But we have work to do and you need to get home first.” Did he seriously try to argue with Laurent right now? It was obvious that he was much more sensible than Damen. Who would prefer work to a day spent in bed together?

“Why are you dressed?” That was the important question. 

“Because, as I mentioned before, we need to get you home in order for us to get to work and I prefer to go outside dressed in the warmest clothes I own. Otherwise I might freeze something off and that would upset me.”

Laurent sighed. “You’d not be the only one left behind upset by this turn of events. But why are you arguing with me about going to work? I bet we have both enough overtime to take a day off.” He was awake enough now to understand why they needed to get up, but that didn’t mean he liked it or couldn’t be contrary about it.

Damen chuckled. “You’re right. However, I think some of your subordinates might break into spontaneous tears if you don’t go to work today. At least that’s my impression on the current situation.” Laurent sighed and rolled onto his back. Why had this beast of a man have to be _reasonable_ after a night of mind blowing sex? It was just not fair.

“Fine,” he grumbled and stood. He couldn‘t keep the smirk from spreading over his lips when he saw Damen’s expression. The man looked at him as if he wanted to ear him up. “No take backs. You can’t tell me you don’t want to stay home and then look at me like that. I might get naughty thoughts.“ 

Damen stared at him some more and then stood before pulling Laurent against him. The fabric of his button-down was soft against Laurent’s naked skin. “You’re the most beautiful person I have ever seen. Am I not allowed to stare?“

Laurent rolled his eyes, but his hands found their way to Damen‘s collar, tracing the white pristine material. “You do whatever you want anyway.“

“If you told me to stop staring, I would.“

He couldn‘t keep the fond smile from taking over his whole face. “I know.“ He kissed Damen‘s jaw, brushed his nose against his throat. 

“So, can I?“ Damen sounded so utterly infatuated, Laurent pressed his lips against his pulse point and said, “Yes.“ Then he turned to go and take a shower. “What a pity that you’re already dressed.“

He would bet that Damen had never undressed faster.


	22. Ornaments

“Now, spill the beans. Auguste‘s not here and I am _really_ curious,“ Kashel grinned and pushed the bottle of water in Laurent’s direction. He took it and drank down half of it. 

“What do you want to know?“ Laurent met her mischievously glinting eyes.

“I happen to know that Auguste and Damen talked. As I know both of them pretty well, I might add, I suspect that Damen finally came around to fucking you. And you’re going to tell me everything.“ She leaned forward on her elbows. A bright, innocent smile was all over her face. Laurent laughed. “You know them both pretty well in and out of bed, I know. Before I satisfy your unending curiosity, I’d like to know how this whole thing between the three of you worked.“

Kashel snorted. “There was never a “thing“ between the three of us. Although not for the lack of trying on my side but the boys were against it. Actually, that was the thing that made me reconsider the arrangement. Because Auguste babbled something about feelings and first I thought it was about their friendship. But then Damen sat me down. Goodness, the boy was feeling guilty. And we talked about feelings because Damen thought Auguste talked about my feelings and he told me that while he loved me as friends, he wasn‘t _in love_ with me and I was so confused how he’d ever think I was in love with him and then I took the time to really think about the whole thing.“

Laurent raised one eyebrow. “And then you decided that you were in love with my brother?“

Kashel grinned. “No. I just knew that I was definitively and decidedly not in love with Damen. And that I was just comfortable in my friendship plus with Damen because he‘s this perfect guy with his perfect dimples and his perfect biceps and I didn‘t have to think about what I actually wanted. And then Auguste asked me on a date and I said yes because he‘s damn attractive and so funny and the rest is history.“ She grinned and Laurent returned her smile. 

“I‘m glad he asked you on a date,“ Laurent confessed. Kashel nodded, “Me, too.“

“Alright then, I’ll tell you about us but we should really start with decorating the tree shouldn’t we?“ Laurent stood and started to inspect the delicate glass ornaments cushioned in the boxes their mother had sent over.

Kashel started hanging up the first ornament, when he spoke again, “Auguste and Damen talked, as you know, even before we went to the Christmas market together. Although Auguste’s still uncomfortable, he never tried to hit Damen.“

“I know. I want the juicy bits.“ She waggled with her eyebrows and Laurent smirked. 

“Why would you need me to tell you? You had sex with Damen on multiple instances. You don‘t need me to tell you how he’s in bed.“ He hung up two glass stars and Kashel laughed. “That was _years_ ago. And he was not in love with me.“

Laurent snorted. “Well then, don‘t let me deny you your fun. The sex is spectacular.“

Kashel grinned. “Good for you. Tell me more.“

“I slept with him on Thursday for the first time. I went over and he was very taken with my scarf and then I couldn’t stop myself any longer. I have my limits and seeing him staring at me like that was very- stimulating.“

Kashel laughed. “With the way he looks at you it‘s a wonder it didn‘t happen sooner. Seriously, I thought he‘d drag you back to his after the market and fuck you even before you made it to the bedroom.“

Laurent gave his best to look scandalized. “What do you take me for? Do you think I‘m _easy_?“

Kashel grinned. “For Damen? Absolutely.“

“Well, you‘d be right. He just doesn‘t know it and I’d like to keep it way.“

“Fine. I won’t tell him a thing. You’re my favorite anyway.“ Kashel shrugged while she was hanging up small glass horses on the tree. Laurent loved them even back as a child when his parent were letting him help decorate the tree. He was happy his mother lent them the ornaments. “But you avoided answering me with the juicy details.“

“Damen fuck nothing like he looks. He’s so-,“ Laurent paused before smiling softly, “tender. He was almost reverently. As if I was something precious.“

Kashel stepped closer and put a hand on Laurent‘s arm. “Well, you are. And Damen knows it.“

Laurent smiled and squeezed her hand. She squeezed again before continuing to decorate the tree. 

“Mommy! We found uncle Damen and uncle Nikandros outside.“ Colette launched herself at Kashel, who immediately caught her with a laugh. “Really? You found them?“

“Yes. And I brought them back! Daddy pouted.“ 

“I didn‘t!“ Auguste strolled into the living room, pout firm on his face and kissed his wife before hugging Laurent. “I didn’t pout.“ His insistence made Laurent laugh and pat his head.

“I know, Auguste. You don‘t pout.“ 

Auguste snorted and pinched him. Most likely for his sarcastic and slightly patronizing tone of voice. Laurent twisted out of his hold, he knew Auguste would start a tickling attack very soon and he didn’t like it. Better to get as far away as possible.

However, he got distracted when Damen entered the room, Laurent couldn’t stop his eyes from catching on the familiar face. And then Damen beamed at him and he just had to smile back. He almost forgot about his brother’s sneaky (as sneaky as Auguste could be, which didn’t say much in this department) plan of attacking a distracted man. But Laurent was a lot sneakier and pushed his brother headlong into Nikandros, who looked very startled and then amused when Auguste made a face.


	23. Oven

Damen laughed as he danced through the kitchen with his mother. He was hosting a pre Christmas dinner with all his friends, as they all had their own Christmas feasts to celebrate on actual Christmas and still he wanted to see them and have them around. It was the 23th of December and Damen was just finishing the dessert. 

Every Christmas dinner (not important it pre/during or post Christmas) included his mother and Egeria had immediately offered to help him when he invited her. He wasn’t fool enough to deny himself or his guests his mothers cooking.

They were indeed much faster with her helping him than he had ever thought possible and now he was spinning her around to the merry tunes of his Christmas playlist. She looked stunning and happy and Damen was so glad that she had recovered after the horrible divorce. 

They waltzed from the kitchen to the dinning room and Egeria laughed. “I’m very glad I took you to dancing lessons from a young age.” Damen grinned and dipped her. “Me too.”

They were interrupted by Nikandros and Pallas entering the room. 

“Having fun?” The younger one grinned and Damen pulled his mother back up. 

“Obviously, when there is such a beautiful lady willing to dance with a man like me,” he replied and Egeria patted his cheek with a smile. The dimple in her cheek deepening and Damen was so glad that she was laughing and smiling again. “Such a charmer. I have no idea where you get it from.”

Damen grinned and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, too.” 

She turned to the newcomers. “Now, you two. You can help with setting the table.”

Nikandros complied, but not before hugging her close and getting his hair patted by her. Damen knew that she was something like a surrogate mother for him since his mother’s passing back when they were still in high school. Pallas was already straightening the table cloth and Damen went back to the kitchen to make sure nothing burned.

When Nikandros entered sometime later, he looked at Damen with an inquiring gaze. “Are you alright?”

“Yes. Are you?”

“Yes. Are you happy?” Nik turned him around to face him properly, and Damen couldn’t keep the grin from spreading. “I’m very happy, Nik. Don’t worry about me. You don’t have to. Laurent is nothing like her and you know it.”

Nik sighed. “You know, I agree. I know he’s not her and I’m very glad for that. He might be a bit too blond and beautiful for my preference, but I can see how happy you are with him. You never were with her. You always held something back and now you don’t. I trust you to know what you do.”

Damen couldn’t stop himself from pulling Nikandros into a big hug. “Thank you. You’re the best and I love you and I really appreciate that you’re looking out for me.” Nik laughed and tousled his curls. “Someone has to and you’re like a younger brother to me, obviously it’s my job to look out for you. I love you too.”

They grinned at each other for a moment, before Damen made him taste the vegetables and Nikandros started teasing him about the amount of salt in it. Pallas joined them with Egeria just when Damen got the pie out of the oven. It was perfect and he was very proud of his accomplishments in the kitchen. Pallas took over the role of the ready admirer and Damen discussed different techniques for the crust with him.

When finally the bell rang and the other guests came in, Damen was just checking the second pie in the oven. Egeria went to open the door together with Nik and he could hear the commotion in the hallway. 

Next there was a loud squeal and the next thing he knew, Colette barreled straight into his legs with Laurent hot on her heels. 

“Colette, uncle Damen is busy. Come here.” He picked her up and then looked up to Damen, who wanted to kiss him very badly. “Hello there. I’m sorry. Auguste and Kashel are bringing in the salads and I was tasked with keeping Colette from running off. It did work until Nikandros mentioned pie and you in the same sentence and then she was not to be stopped.” Laurent smiled tenderly at his niece and Damen just had to kiss him then. 

He tilted Laurent’s head with a knuckle under his chin and brushed their lips together. “Well, you two are the only ones who are allowed to cling to my legs while I’m cooking,” he murmured and Laurent laughed softly.

“You’re such a sweet talker, Damen.” 

“But where’s the pie?” Colette asked, very disappointed that apparently it wasn’t there and not caring about what her uncles were doing at all. 

Damen chuckled. “Sorry, sweetie, it’s over here.” He showed her the apple pie and immediately her eyes lit up. “It’s so pretty.” She wanted to touch it and Damen caught her hand. “No, it’s still hot. It came just out of the oven. We can’t touch it yet.” 

She nodded gravely. “I once touched something from the oven. It hurt very much. I cried a lot. Daddy was very upset.”

“See? That’s the same and we don’t want to upset daddy, do we?” Damen asked and she shook her little head. Laurent murmured, “more than we’re bound to upset her daddy anyway.”

Damen grinned and kissed him again, just because he could.


	24. Evergreen

After the dinner, they all sat around the big evergreen tree in the living room and enjoyed being there once again.

Damen sat with Kashel and Colette on the floor and played Match Match with them. Colette was surprisingly good for her age. Kashel looked at her daughter with a tender expression, as the little girl celebrated another found pair.

“In these moments, I want another one.”

Damen looked up surprised. “You do?” He knew that Auguste wanted another child, but that Kashel had wanted to wait a bit longer because she was very close in age with her own sister and it hadn’t been a good relationship during their childhood while Auguste and Laurent were of one mind most of the time even with their large age gap.

“Yeah. I know Auguste would like another child and honestly, I’m not against it at all. I just wanted them to be a few years apart. And well, they would be, wouldn’t they?” Kashel looked at him with something like insecurity in her eyes.

Damen smiled at her softly. He could understand her fear, although he never felt it before. He wasn’t a parent. “Well, I’m sure Auguste and you would be great parents of two. I mean you’re great parents of one and with Laurent being back and all, the child would have one person more capable of babysitting.”

Kashel nodded. “That’s true. And if you two marry, you’re going to be the vacation entertainment place for the kids, you know that, don’t you?”

Damen gaped at her while she was focusing on Colette, who was getting fussy because the grown ups weren’t paying her any attention. “Marry. Getting married. Laurent and me.”

Kashel tilted her head. “Yes, why? Don’t you want to?” She sounded so carefree, that Damen really had to take a moment to think about his answer.

“Kashel, we’re dating for less than a month. I can’t answer you.”

“Why? Because it’s not what people do or because you seriously don’t know?” She flipped another card and grinned when it was a pair. During the next move she purposefully flipped the wrong one and it was Damen’s turn.

“I know you pretty well, Damen and for a long time, that is. I know how hard you fall. And while Auguste still is a bit mistrusting if you’re serious or not, I know that you are. You look at Laurent as if he hung the moon and I’m not blinded by brotherly overprotectiveness like my dear husband.”

Damen sighed. “You’re right. I know the answer to your question, but I can’t give it to you. Not after three weeks. Give it time.”

Kashel smiled and patted his upper arm. “I know. Don’t worry. I’m on your side and you know it.” They placed for a while longer. And when Colette was rubbing her eyes, Kashel picked her up and went to Damen’s room to get her to sleep. It was their ritual whenever they visited late. Damen even had a little toothbrush in his bathroom for the child. He stayed seated on the floor and looked around just to see his mother talking and laughing with Laurent.

Well, he wasn’t surprised. Laurent had wrapped his whole family around his little finger and that was very telling. Normally, they could never agree if they liked a person or not. But Laurent, well he seemed to be the exception.

Theomedes adored him for his quick wit and his ability to keep up with every topic thrown his way. Kastor liked him because apparently he didn’t take shit from Damen. And Egeria, she was just happy that Damen was happy and she loved all of the deVeres anyway.

He observed Laurent closely. He was relaxed, he could see it from the way his shoulder’s looked. And he nodded along to something Egeria told him with a serious face. She gesticulated and he nodded while waving a hand dismissively. She laughed again and leaned in closer.

He smirked in reaction to whatever she had told him and looked over to where Damen sat on the floor. Obviously, they were talking about him.

When they came over, Egeria declared that she’d go to fetch some drinks and asked them if they wanted any. Both of them shook their heads with a quick thank you. Then she was off.

Damen tugged Laurent down beside him and the blond man let him. They sat side by side on the floor, looking at the evergreen. It sparkled in the candle light and everything looked like in one of the Christmas advertisements. That is if one ignored Lazar’s hand on Pallas’ ass and his tongue down his throat.

“I want to see you on the 25th. Can I?” Damen asked when he turned his head to look at his boyfriend.

“Yes. I’d like that. You could come over after dinner,” Laurent agreed with a small smile. “You already slept on my couch. It’s time you sleep in my bed too.”

Damen laughed. “That’s true. At least I know that if I ever get kicked out on the couch, I’ll prefer yours over mine.”

Laurent leaned in, his hot breath caressing Damen’s cheek and for a moment the world stopped turning. “I don’t really approve of the couch solution. I’d much rather solve the problem and then get make-up sex out of it.”

Damen felt his breath catch in his throat. “Yes. Me too.”


	25. Presents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear readers!  
> It‘s done. The last instalment of the advent calendar is here. I hope you like it and think of it as a worthy conclusion for this project of mine.   
> I loved writing it and I loved to hear from you and read your opinion and feelings about this story. Thank you all do much for your support.   
> Also: I‘m thinking about a New Years Special where I‘d post another part of this story, so stay tuned ;)  
> Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your families/friends and loved ones.   
> Best wishes and stay healthy and safe ❤️

Laurent had left the door to his apartment unlocked when he came back from the dinner with Kashel, Auguste and Colette and their other guests. The deVeres couldn’t celebrate the 25th in the privacy of their family because it was tradition to throw the party and while Auguste rolled his eyes, they did it nonetheless.

Nicaise had been grumpy and unhappy that he had to attend to. That was until he was under guests, then he was very charming and insulted them in the most creative ways without them realizing. It had been the best part of Laurent’s evening, except for when he got to dance with Colette, who had clung to him and giggled into his ear.

Laurent loosened his tie. He was slightly intoxicated and he had all this overflowing energy like always after these events. Damen would be here shortly. And then he would give him his present and then they hopefully could get on with the fucking. He wanted Damen, badly and the alcohol didn’t make it any easier.

Heat rose in him and for a second, he asked himself if someone had mixed something in his drink. Then he remembered Damen’s dirty texts and suddenly he wasn’t surprised anymore at all. The man had teased him the whole evening and he hadn’t been able to resist teasing back. Even during the party.

He opened the first button of his button-down and started rolling up the sleeves. Then he heard the click of the door. He turned around.

He had written Damen that he should just enter. Still, it surprised him a bit that the other man had followed his directions. Normally, Damen was so over cautious that he knocked even when the door stood wide open.

Damen looked delicious and Laurent almost groaned when he saw him. He had taken off his coat already, Laurent could stare at his broad shoulders unhindered, his curls were a mess and his eyes bore into Laurent. He wore a red jumper and dark jeans and Laurent wanted to climb him like a tree.

However, he held himself back. “Good evening.”

Damen’s eyes snapped up to his face from where they had strayed to his legs. “Good evening, sweetheart.” His voice sounded rough. Laurent smirked. He was not the only one somehow affected by the situation.

“Did you have a good time with your family?”

“I missed you. It was not half as much fun as when you’d been there.” Damen shrugged, still looking at him.

“I missed you too. The party wasn’t very stimulating, except for the instances where Nicaise proved to be more intelligent than 90% of the guests in attendance.” Laurent turned around to retrieve Damen’s present.

He bent down to the drawer and got the carefully wrapped gift out. When he straightened, he felt two large hands wrap around his waist. “You’re killing me.”

“Better not. I have plans with you and it would inconvenience me greatly if you’d die before then.” Laurent leaned back against the strong chest of Damen. He turned his head and pressed a kiss to the sharp jawline. “Would you like to open your present?”

Damen laughed, it was a bit breathless. One of his hands had wandered to Laurent’s stomach and he pressed him flush against his front. He felt really good and Laurent dropped his head onto his shoulder.

“No. I think I’d rather do something else.”

Laurent suppressed a grin. “Oh. In that case, can I offer you a drink? I’m a horrible host that I forgot. You must be thirsty.”

Damen snorted and pressed his crotch to Laurent’s ass. He was hard and Laurent’s breath hitched. “I think that can wait. I’d prefer to fuck you, if that’s an option.”

Goodness, who had taught him to sound like that? Laurent wanted to thank this person profoundly.

“Well then, the presents can wait. Take me to bed, lover,” Laurent said and put the present down, before turning around and kissing Damen hard. Damen gasped into his mouth, as if he was drowning.

Later, when Damen had his head cushioned on Laurent’s chest and Laurent tried to sort out his curls tenderly, the large man sighed contently. “I think that was the best present I ever received. I don’t need anything else.”

“That would be a shame. I already bought it and I want you to have it,” Laurent replied softly. Damen was warm and perfect against him and secretly, Laurent completely agreed. He also didn’t need anything else as long as the moment never ended. He had never felt his heart swell with so much tenderness like right then and there.

“Next year, I’d like to come to the party with you. Then I could bring my mother and she couldn’t force me to celebrate with my father and brother.”

Laurent smiled. “She had fun tonight. Kashel dragged her to the bar. And she seemed to get along rather well with one of my mother’s business partners.”

Damen looked up, startled. “She was at your Christmas party?”

“Obviously. I invited her on your pre-Christmas dinner. She said she had nothing better to do.” Laurent again pushed his fingers into Damen’s curls. His boyfriend stared with amazement in his eyes before kissing him breathless.

“That’s the best Christmas present ever. Thank you,” he whispered against Laurent’s lips and kissed him again. “You’re perfect and the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“You’re such a sap,” Laurent replied, before rolling them over and pressing Damen into the mattress. Silently, he agreed. Damen was the best thing that happened to him too.


End file.
